THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


:» 


L 

FACTS  ABOUT  WELSH   FACTORS. 


"Y  GWIR  YN        /    I    \         ERMYN  Y  BYD.' 


WELSHMEN  AS  FACTORS. 


THE  SUCCESSFUL  PRIZE  ESSAY 


—AT  THE— 


International  Eisteddfod 

—OF  THE— 

WORLD'S  COLUMBIA  EXPOSITION, 

CHICAGO,    1893. 


By  "WILLIAM  PENN." 


"Sifting  the  dust  of  the  remote  past,  and  questioning  every  tradi- 
tional source  for  anything  pertaining  to  the  personal  history,  thoughts 
and  deeds  of  those  who  in  any  way  contributed  to  build  up  the  fair  fabric 
of  our  national  civilization  and  liberties."— Dr.J.  L.  Bishop. 

"As  a  Welshman  I  feel  it  a  pleasure  to  find  historic  evidence  of  the 
patriotism  and  public  services  of  Welshmen."— Rev.  B.  W.  Chidlau\  D.  D. 


UTICA,   N.  Y. 

PRESS  OF  THOMAS  J.   GRIFFITHS. 
1899. 


BENJAMIN  HUGHES. 


THE 

AUTHOR 
HAS  THE  PLEAS- 
URE AND  THE  HONOR  OF 
DEDICATING    THIS   WORK  TO    HIS    LIFE- 
LONG ACQUAINTANCE   AND    FRIEND,  B.  HUGHES, 
ESQ.,  SCRANTON,  PA.,  THAN  WHOM  FEW 
WELSHMEN  ARE  MORE  HIGH- 
LY AND  DESERVED- 
LY ESTEEM- 
ED. 


522124 

UBRABX 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE. 
Contents  and  Preface.         -  i-  6 


PART  FIRST. 

Introduction,  -        9-14 

FORMATION  PERIOD  UP  TO  1789. 

CHAPTER  I. 
Work  of  Early  Welsh  Settlers,  15-88 

CHAPTER  II. 

Factors  of  Special  Forcefulness,  98-102 

CHAPTER  III. 
Welshmen  as  "Signers,"  121-132 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Factors  in  the  Revolutionary  War,    -  -        133-156 

CHAPTER  V. 
A  Marked  Feature — The  Old  in  the  New,  157-161 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Welshmen  in  Special  Services,  162-169 


CONTENTS. 


PART  SECOND. 


DEVELOPMENT  PERIOD,  1789  ONWARD. 

PAGE. 
OUR  BRIDGE  OF   HISTORY   CONCERNING 

WELSHMEN  AS  FACTORS,  176 

FIRST  SPAN  OF  BRIDGE,  1789-1807,  176-189 

SECOND  SPAN  OF  BRIDGE,  1801-1825,    -  190-215 

THIRD  SPAN  OF  BRIDGE,  1825-1841,                   .  217-244 

FOURTH  SPAN  OF  BRIDGE,  1841-1881,  245-318 

FIFTH  SPAN  OF  BRIDGE,  1881-1888,  3IQ-354 

SIXTH  SPAN  OF  BRIDGE,  1888-1893,        -        -  355-396 


APPENDICES. 


A. — Welshmen  and  Welsh  Names,  397 

B. — Ancient  Leges  Wallactae,  400 

C. — Welsh  Reading,  401 

D. — The  Welsh  in  Coal  Industry,  402 

E. — Postal  Service  Records,    -        -  403 

F. — Certain  Evanses,    -  -    404 

G. — Our  Portrait  Gallery,  406-424 


PREFACE. 


THE  adjudicators"  of  this  essay  were  Hon.  Thomas  L.  James, 
ex-Postmaster  General,  and  Rev.  W.  C.  Roberts,  D.  D., 
LL.  D.,  of  New  York  City.  Dr.  Roberts  has  since  removed. 
An  extract  or  two  from  the  published  adjudication  may  inter- 
est the  reader. 

Essay — "Welshmen  as  Civil,  Political  and  Moral  Factors  in 
the  formation  and  development  of  the  United  States  Repub- 
lic"—(In  English). 

"The  committee  appointed  by  the  Grand  International  Eis- 
teddfod of  the  World's  Fair  for  the  adjudication  of  essays  on 
the  above  subject,  would  respectfully  report, 

That  the  committee  without  the  slightest  suspicion  of  the 
identity  of  the  writers,  have  read  them  with  care,  considered 
the  merits  of  each  and  compared  the  two  in  the  light  of  logical 
analysis,  industry  in  collecting  materials,  honesty  in  the  pre- 
sentation of  facts,  skill  in  historical  and  biographical  writing, 
and  in  the  mastery  of  good  English  composition." 

The  competitors  were  "  Cambro- American "  and  "William 
Penn  "  Rev.  W.  R.  Evans,  Gallia  Furnace,  Ohio,  alias  "Cam- 
bro-American,"  published  his  essay,  as  he  says  "By  the  recom- 
mendation of  the  learned  adjudicators."  For  this  work  he 
found  a  ready  market,  and  the  adjudication  pronounced  it  "a 
very  creditable  piece  of  composition,  showing  wide  research, 
considerable  acquaintance  with  certain  departments  of  history." 

Of  this  work  now  offered  to  the  public  the  adjudicators  say  : 

"The  essay  by  'William  Penn'  is  a  masterly  piece  of  com- 
position, a  treasure  of  valuable  information,  regarding  Cambro 
Americans,  and  a  real  biographical  encyclopedia  of  Welshmen, 
who  have  been  factors  in  the  formation  and  development  of 
this  country.  The  analysis  is  excellent.  It  is  divided  into  two 
great  historical  periods  recognized  at  once  as  having  a  well  de- 


4  PREFA  CK. 

fined  autonomy  of  their  own.  The  first  period  extends  from 
the  settlement  of  the  country  to  the  adoption  of  the  Federal 
Constitution."  *  *  *  "The  second  historical  period  extends 
from  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitution  to  the  present 
time."  *  *  *  "To  fill  up  his  analysis,  the  writer  has  used 
great  industry,  and  downright  devotion  to  the  gathering  of 
fresh  and  heretofore  unfamiliar  facts.  He  found  access  to 
archives  not  often  frequented,  and  to  books  very  rarely  con- 
sulted. He  has  taken  care  to  test  his  facts  and  to  put  them 
before  the  reader  with  skill  and  force." 

These  gentlemen  were  pleased  to  add : 

"They  would  here  recommend  that  the  essay  be  printed  un- 
der the  supervision  of  the  author,  believing  that  it  will  prove  a 
valuable  contribution  to  Welsh  literature.  The  demand  for  the 
book  ought  to  be  sufficiently  great  to  bring  a  large  amount  of 
funds  into  the  treasury  of  the  Eisteddfod." 

Had  this  suggestion  been  followed  the  "  Cymrodorion 
Society"  of  Chicago  would  not  have  realized  the  predicted  en- 
richment of  their  treasury,  for  a  terrible  panic  set  in  soon  after 
the  World's  Fair.  My  fellow  competitor  went  to  press  in  1894, 
and  in  October  of  that  year  wrote  me  thus:  "It  is  a  pity  that 
your  production  is  not  published.  If  I  had  seen  any  move- 
ment in  that  direction  I  would  not  have  published  mine." 

After  some  delay  the  above  named  society  voted  the  return 
of  "the  prize  M.S. S.,"  both  in  prose  and  poetry,  to  their  sev- 
eral authors,  '  trusting  that  they  will  be  published. "  Accord- 
ingly the  worthy  Secretary  of  the  International  Eisteddfod 
forwarded  me  this  essay  with  "  condition."  Furthermore, 
"William  Penn"  received  a  letter  from  Hon.  Samuel  Job,  Pres- 
ident of  the  Executive  Committee  of  this  Eisteddfod,  and 
President  of  its  Board  of  Directors,  saying:  "I  most  heartily 
endorse  the  idea  of  returning  your  essay,  especially  as  this  will 
hasten  its  publication.  *  *  *  Your  essay  was  pronounced 
to  be  one  of  the  ablest  productions  of  the  great  International 
Eisteddfod.  It  will  have  a  very  large  sale."  The  author  has 
waited  long,  but  now  feels  constrained  to  publish  this  essay. 
Want  of  leisure,  with  the  prevalence  of  our  "hard  times,"  con- 


PREFACE.  5 

stitute  the  reasons  for  past  delay.  After  more  than  five  years' 
waiting,  the  author  is  at  liberty,  and  "better  times"  are  at 
hand.  Meanwhile,  diligent  use  of  spare  moments,  and  added 
opportunities  for  research,  and  a  personal  survey  of  historic 
spots  of  great  interest,  have  served  to  enhance  the  worth  of  this 
•essay.  In  its  present  form  not  only  has  it  carried  out  the  sug- 
gestions of  the  Adjudicators,  but  incorporated  new  matter  and 
"up  to  date"  items  not  found  in  the  original  M.S.,  of  which 
the  editor  of  the  Minersville  "Free  Press"  volunteers  the  re. 
mark,  "A  most  able  production,  that  will  be  prized  especially 
by  Welshmen  wlierever  found."  At  that  time  the  author  was 
a  resident  of  Minersville,  Schuylkill  County,  Pa.,  and  the 
"Free  Press"  added: 

"When  Ivor  Jones  received  a  Chicago  paper  announcing 
that  a  $600  prize  had  been  awarded  'William  Penn,'  the  wel- 
come news  soon  spread,  and  Mr.  Edwards  has  been  receiving 
the  most  hearty  congratulations  of  all  our  people  on  winning 
the  largest  prize  given  to  any  individual  competitor  at  the 
World's  Fair  International  Eisteddfod  last  week." 

To  readers  who  read  Welsh,  the  following  lines  of  the  late 
leuan  Ddu,  i.  e..  Rev.  J.  P.  Harris,  Nanticoke,  Pa.,  published 
in  the  "Drych"  soon  after  the  Eisteddfod,  will  not  be  unwel- 
come: 

"Aeth  Eben  a  phen  y  Ffair— da  ei  waith 

Diw}-d  a  digellwair; 
Cerbyd,  esmwyth  gryd,  sy'n  grair* 
Yn  gydwerth  a  dwy  gadair. 

Yn  dSl  y  tri  chan'  dolar--ddyfarnodd 

Y  ddau  feirniaid  treiddgar— 
Udgorn  yw'r  traethawd  gwladgar 
Hanes  by  w  am  oesau  bar.+ 

Another  Welshman  writes  to  the  "Drych"  in  December, 
1893:  "Enillodd  y  Parch.  Ebenezer  Edwards  o  Minersville, 
Pa.,  wbbr  o  $600  (rhwng  y  cash  a'r  cerbyd)  am  draethawd  ar 
f ater  hynod  o  ddyddorol  a  phwysig  i'r  genedl,  a  chyda  chamol- 

*  Confirmation— as  "Haw  grair,"  striking  the  hand  to  confirm  a 
bargain. 

t  "Bar"— conflict  or  impulse. 


6  PREFACE. 

iaeth  uwch  nag  a  roddwyd  i'r  un  buddugwr  yn  yr  Eisteddfod  " 
The  cash  was  the  gift  of  Mrs.  W.  H.  Jones,  Evanston  Ill- 
inois, the  buggy  donated  by  Messrs.  Mitchell  &  Lewis  of 
Racine,  Wisconsin.  This  generous  giving  should  be  credited 
with  whatever  value  may  arise  from  the  essays  now  published 
and  offered  to  the  public.  Rev.  W.  Ceredig  'Davies,  now  of 
Catasauqua,  wrote  to  the  "Drych,"  November,  1897,  of  the 
"William  Penn"  essay:  "Buasai  yn  ddymunol  iawn  gan  ei  lu 
cyfeillion,  fel  fi  fy  hun,  pe  bae  yr  arch-draethodwr  hwn  yn 
dwyn  allan  gyfrol  ddestlus  yn  cynwys  ei  draethawd  buddugol 
yn  Eisteddfod  Ffair  y  Byd,  cyn  myned  o'r  awdwr  i  ffordd  yr 
holl  ddaear." 


AUTHOR'S  ADDRESS: 

E.  EDWARDS, 
636  TILGHMAN  STREET, 

ALLENTOWN,   PA. 


WILLIAM  C.  ROBERTS,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


PART  L 


FORMATION. 


"As  I  take  it,  universal  History,  the  history  of  what  man 
has  accomplished  in  this  world  is,  at  bottom,  the  history  of  the 
great  men  who  have  worked  here.  They  were  the  leaders  of 
men,  these  great  ones,  the  modelers,  patterns,  and  in  a  wide 
sense  creators  of  whatsoever  the  general  mass  of  men  contriv- 
ed to  do  or  attain.  All  things  that  we  see  standing  accom- 
plished in  the  world  are  properly  the  outer  material  result,  the 
practical  realization  and  embodyment  of  thought  that  dwelt  in 
the  great  men  sent  into  the  world.  The  soul  of  the  whole 
world's  history,  it  may  justly  be  considered  was  the  history  of 
these." — Thomas  Carlyle. 

"A  people  who  take  no  pride  in  the  noble  achievements  of 
remote  ancestors  will  never  achieve  anything  worthy  to  be  re- 
membered with  pride  by  remote  descendants," 

— Lord  Macaulay. 


INTRODUCTION. 


"We  are  a  nation  of  emigrants,  springing  from  an  ancestry 
of  exiles.  We  are  colonists,  not  adventurers ;  we  build  homes 
and  found  States. " — Breckinridge. 

"  The  Welsh,  o'r  Cymry,  descendants  of  the  ancient  Britons, 
have  materially  aided  in  the  settlement  of  the  United  States." 
— Judge  Powell. 


THIS  Republic  has  a  history  as  unique  as  it  is 
grand  and  unparalleled.  In  the  formation  and 
development  of  no  other  country  have  various  nation- 
alities played  so  important  a  part — industrially,  social- 
ly, politically,  and  morally,  as  here.  In  this  land,  im- 
migrations have  been  exceptionally  frequent,  diversi- 
fied and  multitudinous,  arid  again,  the  immi- 
grants have  become  in  our  Republic  "factors" 
of  marvellous  potency  and  importance.  More 
than  "three  nations"  did  God  sift  to  get  "the 
finest  of  the  \\  heat,"  for  this,  Western,  New  World's 
planting;  and  little  Wales  stands  conspicuous  among 
the  "sifted"  nations.  Of  her  as  of  Scotland,  it  is  true 

that 

"Monuments  of  Fame, 
And  scenes  of  glorious  deeds  in  little  bounds" 

adorn     her     annals.     Welsh    immigrants,    especially 
those  of  early   date  made  for  themselves   a   record 


io  Welshmen  as  Factors 

strikingly  glorious.  This  people,  have,  from  time  to 
time  contributed  not  a  little  to  "England's  Fame  and 
Power."*  In  like  manner  this  Republic  is  largely  in- 
debted to  Wales  and  Welshmen.  Others  may  claim — 
nor  will  they  fail  to  put  in  their  claim'  during  this  Co- 
lumbian celebration' — a  share  in  the  honor  of  having 
been  factors  in  the  work  done  here.  This  is  right. 
We  demur  not,  nor  would]  we  detract  aught  from 
their  just  share,  "Honor  to  whom  honor." 

Our  subject  must  be  treated  historically.  It  will 
deal  with  facts  and  inferences,  with  names  and  places, 
dates  and  events.  We  are  guided  in  part  by  our 
knowledge  of  Welsh:  names,  and  are  glad  that  so  many 
of  these  are  unquestionably  traceable  to  Welsh  even 
when  directly,  the  immigration  may  have  been  from 
England.  Doctor  Brockett,  rightly  corrects  his  pen, 
when,  writing  of  Major  General  George  H.  Thomas, 
born  in  Virginia,  July,  1816,  he  says,  "His  father, 
John  Thomas,  was  of  English,  or  more  remotely,  of 
Welsh  descent."  It  happens  quite  too  commonly  that 
writers  and  speakers  ignore  the  distinction  between 
the  Welsh  people  and  the  English.  The  historian 
Fiske,  of  Welsh  blood  on  the  maternal  side,  falls  into 

*On  "Keltic  contributions  to  England's  Fame  and  Power,"  no  com- 
petitor was  deemed  worthy  of  the  $300  prize.  This  is  the  theme  of  essay 
No.  i  in  the  great  Eisteddfod.  We  may  here  note  what  the  erudite  Isaec 
Taylor  says:  "Englishmen  are  indebted  to  the  Celtic  element  for  the  val- 
ue and  unsurpassed  abundance  of  their  literature."  Thomas  Pennant  is 


of  your  justice!" 


/;/  flic  Formation  of  the  Republic.  n 

this  error:  "Of  all  who  crossed  the  ocean  between  1620 
and  1640,  and  settled  in  Xew  England,  scarce  two  men 
in  a  hundred  were  of  other  than  English  blood."  The 
thoughtful  reader  is  surprised  that  Joseph  Cook 
should  say,  "In  1640,  the  whole  population  of  New 
Kngland  was  English."  Welsh  blood  does  not  cease 
to  be  \Yelsh  wherever  found,  on  English  soil  or  in 
America.  One  Thomas  Jones,  born  in  Ireland,  whose 
ancestors  went  to  the  Emerald  Isle  from  Wales,  pur- 
chased six  thousand  acres  of  land  on  Long  Island, 
N.  Y..  as  early  as  the  year  \6f)6.  He  built  the  first 
brick  house  in  those  parts,  and  was  a  "factor"  of  some 
value.  The  Tregynon  historian.  Rev.  W.  R.  Morgan, 
remarks  in  his  work  on  "British  Kymry,"  p.  231, 
"Many  thousand  Kymry  who  followed  the  fortune  of 
Henry  Tudor  settled  permanently  in  England.  An 
unremitting  supply  of  Kymric  blood  has  since  con- 
tinued to  flow  into  England."  1  he  Harris  surname  be- 
came common  both  in  Wales  and  England,  as  also 
Ap-Harri,  or  Parry,  from  A.  D.  1485.  when  the  Welsh 
(Tudor)  line  ascended  the  throne.  About  two  cen- 
turies earlier,  A.  D.  1284,  the  first  "Prince  of  Wales" 
was  bom  at  Carnarvon  Castle.  North  Wales;  no  soon- 
er did  he  wear  the  crown  (A.  D.  1307)  than  Welsh- 
men began  to  take  on  the  royal  name  of  Edward. 
The  Tudor  dynasty  lasted  about  a  hundred  years.  It 
is  known  that  in  Stratford-on-Avon  were  a  large 
number  of  Welshmen  in  the  days  of  the  peerless 


Shakespeare,  and  that  the  parish  register  gives  a  long- 
list  of  Welsh  name;.  1  here  is  a  broad  assertion  in  the 
''History  of  Ancient  Britons"  by  Judge  Powell  thus: 
"It  is  impossible  to  find  an  Englishman  who  has  not 
more  or  less  Celtic  blood  in  his  veins."  (See  Appen- 
dix A). 

Prof.  ().  M.  Edwards,  ...f  Oxford,  addressing  the 
".Birmingham  Welsh  Society"  not  long  ago,  claimed 
that  Shakespeare's  heroes  and  heroines  are  not  Eng- 
lish, but  Welsh;  and  that  "Wordsworth  was  taught 
the  beauties  of  nature  from  the  poetry  of  Henry 
\  aughan,  a  Breconshire  Welshman.''  Judge  Powell 
also  writes,  "Celtic  genius  has  added  to  English  litera- 
ture" 

Bringing  to  a  close  this  somewhat  prosy  introduc- 
tion, we  may  remind  our  readers  that  the  author  has 
aimed  at  the  classification  of  facts;  tire  localizing  and 
synchronizing  of  events.  This  was  as  difficult  as  it 
was  desirable,  and  has  demanded  considerable  time 
and  labor.  Again,  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  field 
we  are  called  to  survey  should  be  kept  in  mind,  so  that 
no  one  expects  perfection  and  completeness  in  a  work 
such  as  this. 

Factors  scattered  over  so  wide  a  territory  as  this 
"Republic,"  and  related  to  its  "Formation  and 
Development,"  are  so  many  and  varied,  that  no  man 
can  fully  set  them  forth.  At  the  I'tica  Eisteddfod, 
January,  1861,  Hugh  J.  Hughes.  Esq..  was  the  sue- 


//;  the  I'onnution  of  the  Republic.  1-5 

cessful  competitor  on  a  kindred  theme,  "Renowned 
Welshmen  in  America  and  their  Descendants."  That 
was  only  "half-finished"  said  the  author,  although 
his  essay  would  make  a  volume  of  about  six  hundred 
pages.  Only  the  outline  \vas  published,  given  by 
lorthryn  <iwynedd  in  "History  of  the  Welsh  in 
America,"  Vol.  I..  Div.  C..  Chapter  vv:: 

To  do  full  justice  to  this  theme  would  necessitate 
careful  research  into  the  archives  of  the  several  States, 
and  an  almost  omniscient  acquaintance  with  men  ami 
matters  in  every  period  of  our  history.  What  is 
herein  essayed,  will  possibly  be.  some  day,  more 
worthily  and  completely  written.  Xevv  materials  of 
history  will  open  up  to  the  painstaking  student.  Fac- 
tosr  unknown  before  will  appear,  and  buried  facts 
will  be  exhumed.  In  the  "Star  depths"  of  the  universe 
were  hidden  lights  of  greater  or  less  magnitude,  which 
had  eluded  the  human  vision,  until  powerful  telescopes 
were  brought  to  the  astronomer's  aid:  and  so  the 
writer  of  the  "(ienesis  of  the  United  States,"  pub- 
lished in  iSijj.  claims  that  either  in  full  or  in  careful 
extract  he  has  dealt  with  "365  documents  of  which 
the  greater  part  have  never  before  appeared  in  print." 
To  what  we  have  put  forth  in  this  essay  we  would 
add,  at  well  nigh  every  stage,  the  Latin  suggestion 
'V.r  into,  discc  oinncs.''  « 


*  To  part  Third  of  this  Welsh  book  the  plodding-  and  judicious 
lorthrvn.  now  at  rest  in  heaven,  grave  this  misleading  title,  "A  Full  View 
of  the  Welsh  of  America,"  p.  v  William  Penn  puts  forth  no  such  claim. 


14  H'clsliiiicii  as  J-acfors 

Just  one  word  more.  The  adjudicators  commend 
the  autonomy  and  analysis  of  this  essay.  They 
pronounce  it  "Kxcellent."  For  this  excellence  the 
writer  acknowledges  his  indebtedness  to  the  wise 
and  compreiiensive  wording  of  his  theme.  Ft  sug- 
gested the  adoption  of  the  I'nited  States  Constitution 
in  1789  as  a  natural  dividing-  line,  between  the  "For- 
mation" period  and  the  "Development"  period  of  »ur 
history  as  a  nation.  Having  thought  of  that  great 
event  as  a  point  up  to  and  from  -:\.'liich  to  direct  our 
investigation,  the  rest  of  our  plan  was  simple  and  al- 
most inevitable. 


THE  FIRST  PERIOD. 


WELSH  M  EX  AS  F  ACT(  )KS  T  I '  T( )  THE  ADOP- 
TION ( )F  THE  UX1TED  STATES' 
CONSTITUTION. 


CHAPTER  I. 


WOltK  OF  EARLY  SETTLERS  HKKK. 

The  people  of  this  blood  were  among  the  best  who  establish- 
ed themselves  in  the  country."— History  of  Chester  Co.,  p.  246. 

''Their  relation  to  the  early  history  of  this  country  is  peculi- 
arly interesting." — E.v-Postmaster  fames. 


IX  this  Formation  period,  famous  Welshmen  were 
both  numerous  and  influential.  The  early  im- 
migrants multiplied  apace;  the  4,000  of  1630  in  thirty 
years  became  80,000.  Bancroft  estimated  the  increase 
up  to  his  day  at  a  thousand  to  one,  on  an  average. 
(History  of  U.  S.,  Vol.  i.  Ch.  10).  Roger  \Yilliams' 
descendants  arc  counted  by  the  thousands.  The 
fathers  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  e.  g..  Col.  John  Da- 
vis settled  in  Xew  Hampshire  at  an  early  date,  and 
was  tire  father  of  nine  sons,  to  whom  was  granted  an 
average  life  of  eighty-seven  years  apiece.  It  has 


i  ()  U'clshincn  as  Factors 

been  stated  concerning  "The  Welsh  in  the  United 
States,"  that  "The  first  Welsh  settlers  in  America 
landed  in  IVnnsvlvania  in  1682;"  but  more  correctly, 
the  late  Dr.  Thomas,  Pittsburg,  calls  that  "The  sec- 
ond wave  of  Welsh  immigration." 

We  begin  with  the  beginning: 

First. — Touching  New  England  it  is  known  that  as 
early  as  July,  1621,  Stephen  Hopkins,  probably  an 
ancestor  of  a  "signer"  of  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 
dence of  like  name,  visited  Massasoit,  and  a  branch 
of  the  family  of  another  "signer,"  William  Williams, 
settled  in  Roxbury,  Mass.,  in  1630.  The  signer's 
grandfather  came  hither  in  company  with  Thomas 
Hopkins,  of  Cardiff,  South  Wales,  in  1632,  settling 
at  Taunton.  Bristol  County,  Mass.  It  is  known  that 
the  name  of  Thomas  Adams  appears  in  a  charter 
granted  in  1629,  and  that  his  brother  Henry  Adams, 
progenitor  of  the  famous  family  of  IJraintree,  was 
settled  in  Xew  Kngland  in  1636.  Of  this  family  more 
will  follow. 

The  ship  "Lyon,"  to  say  nothing  of  the  "May- 
flower," arrived  full  half  a  century  before  1682.  Nor 
must  we  fail  to  note  the  fact  that  in  the  same  ship  with 
(iovernor  Winthrop,  in  1630,  there  came  this  Welsh- 
man, Kdward  (iarfield,  a  "native  of  Wales"  from  near 
C'aer.  The  late  martyr  I 'resident  traced  his  ancestry 
to  this  stock.  ( )f  those  who,  that  same  year,  cast  their 
lot  with  Roger  Williams,  were  Thomas  Harris.  Rich- 


///  ///(•  1-onimiitni  of  flic  Republic.  17 

ard  Williams,  William"  Reynolds  and  Thomas  Hop- 
kins The  date  of  Roger  \\"illiams%  coining  was  Feb- 
ruary i  5th,  1631  :  that  of  his  death  1683.  He  and  the 
famed  [ohn  At  vies,  or  Allies,  passed  hence  the  same 
year.  Six  years  later  we  find  the  Rev.  Hugh  Peters, 
a  native  of  Cornwall,  or  "West  Wales,"  in  charge  of 
the  famous  Salem  Church,  Mass.  He  was  said  to 
have  taken  "an  active  interest  in  mercantile  and  civil 
affairs."  as  well  as  in  religion.  Rev.  William  Wil- 
liams born  in  Xewton.  Mass..  in  166$,  graduated  at 
Harvard  in  1683.  and  became  a  powerful  factor  in  his 
day. 

Those  forefathers  believed  in  education,  and  evinced 
their  faith  by  their  works/  Harvard  College  dates 
back  to  within  sixteen  years  of  the  landing  of  the 
"Mayflower's"  passengers  on  Plymouth  Rock.  It 
commenced  its  honorable  career  as  a  "Seminary  for 
Preachers."  The  father  of  Rev.  Joshua  Moody 
(Meudwy)  came  from  Wales,  and  settled  in  Xewbury, 
Mass..  alxnit  1635.  Joshua  being  then  a  child  of  two 
years  only.  This  son  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1653, 
and  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  welfare  and  success 
of  his  Alma  Mater.  Under  date  of  May  2Oth.  1669, 
and  resulting  from  his  address  to  the  people  of  Ports- 
mouth, there  came  liberal  support  to  this  institution. 
They  gave  sixty  ]>ounds  sterling,  with  a  pledge  that 
an  equal  sum  should  be  annually  sent  to  this  college, 
"for  the  seven  years  ensuing."  This  was  a  munificent 


i8 


gift  for  those  times.  Moody's  name  is  attached  to 
this  pledge,  ami  his  influence  doubtless  called  forth 
this  generosity.  After  the  death  of  President  Rogers, 
Rev.  J.  Moody  was  invited  to  take  the  oversight  of 
the  college.  This  is  stated  in  the  Harvard  records. 
The  honor  was  declined;  the,  then,  Boston  pastor,  pre- 
ferring to  retain  his  position  there. 

In  1637  there  arrived  a  man  of  mark  as  a  moral 
factor,  Rev.  John  Jones,  son  of  William  Jones,  Aber- 
gavenny,  Usk  River.  He  settled  in  Concord,  Mass., 
as  co-pastor  with  Rev.  Peter  Bulkley,  over  the  Con- 
gregationalist  Church. 

Six  years  earlier  than  the  coming  of  this  Jones  was 
that  of  the  world-renowned  Roger  Williams.  "A 
native  of  Wales"  says  the  most  recent  account  of  "The 
American  People,"  copyrighted  in  1896  by  the  pub- 
lishers, the  joint  work  of  Ciilman  and  Shepardson.  He 
was  but  "twenty-four  years  of  age  and  well  educated." 
Of  this  factor  "Civil,  Political  and  Moral,"  we  shall 
have  much  to  say,  but  that  will  be  later  on.  His  was 
"the  first  free  school  in  America."  It  will  be  remem- 
bered that  Governor  Sir  William  I  Berkley,  in  1671, 
wrote:  "Thank  God,  we  neither  have  free  schools  nor 
printing  press,  and  I  hope  we  may  not  have  for  a 
hundred  years  to  come." 

The  author  of  "Nonconformity  in  Wales,"  Rev. 
Dr.  Rees.  referred  to  "lost  Welsh  dissenting  tribes." 
who  came  hither  as  early  as  1640-1.  ( )f  these  a  record 


///  flic  Formation  of  the  Republic.  19 

is  found  in  our  Xew  England  Memorials,  and  their 
steps  are  traceable  in  various  localities  and  industries. 
Dr.  Thomas,  of  Pittsburgh  states  that  from  1636  to 
1670,  we  have  records  of  several  Welsh  families  com- 
ing over  to  ,\e\v  England.  We  know  from  historic 
records,  that  "four  hundred  colonists"  landed  here  in 
1669.  and  that  the  year  following  there  came  a  "fleet 
of  about  seven  hundred  additional  emigrants."  It  is 
said  the  history  of  the  Welsh  in  Xew  England  is  "an 
unexplored  mine."  Who  can  tell  how  many  were  of 
this  nationality?  It  is  certain  that  men  of  Welsh 
name  appear  here  and  there  in  Xew  England,  as  Ed- 
ward Hopkins,  Governor  of  Connecticut,  and  Major 
William  \  aughan.  or  Eychan.  i.  e..  Little,  well  known 
in  1648.  Thomas  \  aughan  was  a  constituent  member 
of  the  Second  Baptist  Church  of  Xewport,  R.  I.,  in 
1656.  ( )ne  Moses  Davis,  son  of  John  Davis,  and 
brother  of  Captain  James  Davis,  was  born  in  Dover, 
New  Hampshire,  in  the  year  1657.  Of  the  Eirst  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Maine,  organized  in  1682.  William 
Adams,  Timothy  Davies  and  Robert  Williams  were 
constituent  members. 

Spacious  and  inspiring  would  be  the  full  account  of 
the  grand  men  of  this  nationality  that  came  hither 
much  earlier  than  the  coming  of  William  Penn,  but 
the  half  was  never  told,  but  is  and  will  be  telling. 
There  was  the  Rev.  John  Miles,  who  came  from  the 
vicinity  of  Swansea  in  Wales,  in  1663.  and  organized  a 


20  Welshmen  as  I'actoi's 

Kaptist  church  in  Swanzev,  Xe\v  England,  con- 
tinuing its  pastor  until  his  death  in  1683.  A  qualified 
leader,  a  stalwart  defender  of  truth,  and  a  staunch 
nonconformist  was  this  great  man  of  Llanilltyd.  If 
our  ( Jen.  X.  A.  Miles  is  a  descendant  of  this  Miles  he 
may  be  proud  of  his  ancestor.  Again,  we  hear  of  an 
earlier  John  Miles,  who.  in  1661,  signed  a  petition  to 
Charles  II.,  setting  forth  that  one  Edward  Godfrey, 
a  Nonconformist  of  that  age.  had  been  "not  only 
turned  out  of  his  said  place  of  Governor,  but  had  been 
utterly  ousted  and  dispossessed  of  his  lands  and  estate 
in  that  country,  which  the  inhabitants  of  Massa- 
chusetts have  forcibly  seized,  and  still  do  detain  the 
same  from  him."  This  shows  the  spirit  of  the  times. 
An  address  sent  by  the  selectmen  of  the  town  of 
Dover,  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  bears 
the  signature  of  John  Roberts  and  John  Davis.  The 
date  of  this  address  is  October  9th,  1665.  Were  not 
these  men  of  Welsh  stock? 

Rev.  William  Williams,  born  in  Newton,  Mass., 
February  2,  1665,  son  of  deacon  Isaac  \Y.,  and  grand- 
son of  Robert  Williams.  Roxbury,  Mass.,  graduated 
at  Harvard  in  1683,  in  the  same  class  as  his  cousin, 
the  "redeemed  captive." 

The  recent  Cyclopaedia  published  by  Appleton  & 
Co.  notes  that  Justin  Edwards'  great  grandfather, 
of  Samuel  Edwards,  "descended  from  Alexander  Ed- 
Avards.  who  emigrated  from  Wales  and  resided  in 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  21 

Northampton,  Mass.,  from  1655  to  1690."  The  same 
authority  says  that  Myles  Morgan  of  Landaff,  Cla- 
nnorganshire,  South  Wales,  arrived  in  Boston, 
April,  1636,  settling  at  what  is  now  the  city  of  Spring- 
field, Mass.  Of  Winslow  Lewis,  born  in  Cape  Cod, 
17/0.  we  are  told  that  "his  ancestors,  who  were  among 
the  first  settlers  in  Xew  England,  were  of  Welsh 
origin." 

This  nationality  has  furnished  a  number  of  men  who 
in  times  past  championed  the  cause  of  Religious  Liber- 
ty. These  have  been,  from  the  very  first,  brave  in  as- 
serting rights  of  conscience,  not  only  in  Xew  England, 
but  everywhere,  ami  ai\\;:ys.  A  maxim  ot  the  British 
Drui die  Institution  was,  "That  it  was  the  duty  of  all 
men  to  seek  after  the  truth,  and  to  receive  it  against 
the  whole  world."  Xo  doubt  this  was  helpful  to 
awakening  investigation  touching  the  claims  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  so  to  the  supplanting  of  Druidic  institu- 
tions by  "the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jestib."*  The  famous 
jurist.  Judge  Powell,  says,  "It  was  from  this  founda- 
tion that  Roger  Williams  adopted  his  principle  of  tol- 
erance, and  protection  of  religion  from  persecution." 
Thomas  Jefferson  too  was  greatly  in  favor  of  this 
principle  incorporated  in  the  first  amendment  to  the 
United  States  Constitution:  "Congress  shall  make  no 


*  Many  years  ago  there  was  a  pri/.e  of  $40  ,i<iven  by  the  Pittston  Eis- 
teddfod, a'nil  awarded  to  the  writer  of  this  essay  on"  the  theme  "Der- 
wyddiacth  a  Christionogaeth." 


22  H'clsJuncn  as  I:actors 

law  respecting  an  establishment  of  religion,  or  pro- 
hibiting the  free  exercise  thereof."  It  was  the  habit 
of  Roger  Williams  to 

"Strike  for  freedom  to  think,  and  let  think." 

He  resisted  the  enforcement  of  the  form  for 
swearing  witnesses  on  the  same  principle  as 
he  resisted  the  passage  of  lawrs  compelling  people 
to  attend  church  and  communion.  His  consistency, 
in  regard  to  the  oath  question,  cost  him  some  thou- 
sands of  pounds  sterling,  because  it  debarred  him  from 
legal  standing  in  the  English  courts.  This  and  other 
matters  of  conscience  procured  his  banishment. 

We  may  not  dwell  on  this  particular,  and  yet  we  feel 
constrained  to  present  another  name  of  note  in  re- 
lation thereto.  I  refer  to  Moody  or  Meudwy.  He 
came  from  \Vales  to  Massachusetts  to  escape  the 
persecution  that  he  suffered  as  a  Puritan :  and  the 
illustrious  son  as  a  very  Joshua  for  that  was  his 
name,  championed  the  religious  liberty  which  his 
father  had  taught  him  to  admire.  ( iovernor  Cranfield 
found  in  this  man  a  staunch  and  stubborn  Noncon- 
formist, willing  rather  to  endure  imprisonment  than 
to  sell  his  rights  and  to  violate  his  conscience.  Joshua 
was  born  in  Wales  A.  I).  1633. 

In  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society  is  found  a 
volume  relating  to  these  times,  and  to  Rev.  Atoody. 
It  records  that  "from  the  first  h-e  was  opposed  to  all 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  23 

persecution  for  supposed1  witchcraft."  In  his  day  the 
prison  at  Salem  was  overcrowded  with  victims  of  per- 
secuting legislation  so  that  may  had  to  be  sent  to 
Boston  jail.  As  late  as  1744  members  of  the  Baptist 
faith,  in  Massachusetts,  were  "robbed  of  all  they  pos- 
sessed and  sent  to  prison  for  fifteen  years,"  because 
they  refused  to  pay  to  the  State  fund  for  the  support 
of  State  preachers.  New  England  copied  Old  Eng- 
land. 

Reference  is  made  to  those  trying  times  by  Mac- 
aulay  (History  of  England,  Ch.  i):  "This  was  the 
conjuncture  at  which  the  liberties  of  the  nation  were 
in  greatest  peril.  The  opponents  of  the  Government 
began  to  despair  of  their  country,  and  many  looked 
to  America  as  the  only  asylum  in  which  they  could 
enjoy  civil  and  spiritual  freedom."  Alas  for  their  sore 
disappointment ! 

By  the  research  of  Mr.  Henry  Blackwell,  of  New 
York,  it  was  found  that  -the  Rev.  Morgan  Jones,  a 
native  of  Bassaleg,  Mbn.,  and  an  "ejected  minister" 
of  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  came  to  America.  Educated 
at  Jesus  College,  Oxford,  he  settled  at  Llanmadog, 
Glamorganshire,  but  having  rebelled  against  the  Act 
of  Uniformity,  we  find  him:  in  Newtown  Presbyterian 
Church,  Long  Island.  Here  he  established  a  Sunday 
School  in  February,  1682,  antedating  the  Raikes' 
movement  in  England  well-nigh  a  century.  In.  1684 
the  Crown  elected  hirm  school-master.  This  man  had 


24  Welshmen  as  Factors 

endless  trouble  about  his  scanty  salary,  which  was 
paid  by  a  town  tax.  In  December,  i<58i,  the  citizens 
of  Newtown  decided  by  a  general  vote,  to  sustain 
the  ministry  after  a  more  Christian  fashion,  viz.:  "by 
the  free-will  offerings  which  every  man  will  give  '' 

To  the  early  Welsh  settlers  there  belongs  some  trib- 
bute  of  respect  and  praise  for  the  part  they  played  in 
civil  and  mercantile  relations.  We  make  but  a  brief 
reference  to  the  records. 

We  have  heard;  not  a  little  of  "Yankee  ingenuity." 
It  may  be  well  to  bear  in  mdnd,  that  Welshmen  "ap- 
pear among  the  earliest  immigrants  to  New  England 
and  Vermont"  (Powell).  History  proves  that  many 
important  personages  of  Welsh  name  wrought  for 
the  prosperity  of  the  country  of  their  adoption.  A 
work  by  J.  Leander  Bishop,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  wras  pub- 
lished in  1864.  It  is  in  two  bulky  volumes  octavo, 
and  evinces  that  this  nationality  was  prominent  from 
the  very  first  in  the  operative  industry  of  the  country. 

This  airthor  claims  that  these  "industries"  exercised 
no  little  influence  in  "shaping  the  public  and  social 
organization  of  the  country,  and  the  legislative  policy 
of  the  general  and  local  governments."  Welshmen 
certainly  shared  in  delivering  our  country  from  a  state 
of  "dependence,"  and  in  opening  the  pathway  leading 
to  the  marked  commercial  prosperity  now  enjoyed  by 
these  United  States.  This  people  determined  that, 
as  early  as  possible,  America  should  cease  to  be 


///  ///c  Po  niiation  of  the  Republic.  25 

"chained  in  complete  dependence  on  the  workshops 
of  Europe.'*  So  far  back  as  the  Colonial  period,  when 
the  germs  of  American  "Liberty  and  Independence'' 
were  implanted,  "were  sown  also  the  seeds  of  those 
frugal  habits,  that  facility  of  adapting  means  to  ends 
that  still  characterize  the  majority  of  Ameri- 
can people.  The  early  colonists  planted  most  of  the 
mechanic  arts,  and  the  roots  of  a  vigorous  civilization 
on  our  soil."  Mr.  Davis  of  the  firm  of  Davis  &  Thur- 
ber.  successful  woolen  manufacturers  in  Andover", 
Mass..  is  a  member  of  the  Congregational  Church 
there.  He  takes  pride  in  tracing  his  Welsh  ancestry. 
In  the  genealogical  book  published  by  him,  he  claims 
tli at  the  family  came  from  Carmarthenshire,  South 
Wales,  to  Roxbury,  Mass.,  in  the  year  1620,  the  year 
of  the  landing  of  the  1'ilgrims.  In  the  year  1641, 
there  was  a  flour  mill  in  Xew  Haven,  Conn.,  in  which 
Edward  Hopkins,  probably  the  (lovernor,  was  inter- 
ested. "John  Drew  (Drywp  from  Wales,  who  set- 
tled at  Plymouth  as  early  as  1660  is  believed  to  have 
been  a  ship  carpenter,  and  a  number  of  his  descend- 
ants in  that  and  other  times  pursued  the  business,  one 
of  them  at  Halifax,  on  the  Winetuxet,  a  small  branch 
of  the  Taunton  River."  In  1667,  the  Court  of  Con- 
necticut granted  Thomas  Harris  the  liberty  to  build  a 
saw  mill  on  the  brook  between  Hartford  and  Wethers- 

*  This  is  pronounced  as  in   Kn^lish,  the   Welsh    meaning  Wren,    or 
Druid. 


26  II 'clsliincii  as  /'actors 

fit-Id,  (Mi  the  cast  side  of  "the  great  river,"  provided  it 
was  accomplished  within  "two  years."  lie  was  allowed 
forty  acres  for  his  encouragement  therein.  Even  to 
this  day  tlie  Sierre  Leone  Colony,  after  tne  lapse  of 
more  than  a  century,  and  with  a  population  of  over 
50,000.  has  not  a  saw  mill  of  any  kind  in  operation. 
Probably  no  Welshman  has  settled  there. 

The  saw  mill  would  be  indispensable  for  ship- 
building in  those  early  times,  when  no  one  conceived 
the  possibility  of  making  "  the  iron  to  swim."  Roger 
Williams  \vent  from  Providence  to  Newport  in  a  log 
canoe,  in  1672;  but  ere  long  this  colony  began  to  de- 
velop shipping.  From  1698  to  1708,  Rhode  Island 
built  103  vessels.  8  ships,  ir  bdgantines,  and  84 
sloops.  From  1730,  when  Providence  and  Newport 
each  had  about  4.000  white  inhabitants,  Newport  rose 
rapidly,  until  the  date  of  the  Revolution.  It  became 
''one  of  the  principal  seats  of  opulence  and  refinement 
on  the  Continent."  Its  West  Indian  trade  was  im- 
mense, and,  later  on,  it  was  considered  a  "rash  predic- 
tion" that  New  York  might  some  dav  "equal.  New- 
port." Strange  as  this  might  sound  in  our  ears,  it 
must  not  be  forgotten,  that  our  Kmpire  City  had  in 
1696  less  than  2,000  inhabitants,  and  that  in  1747  she 
owned  but  (;(>  vessels.  The  signer  Stephen  Hopkins, 
once  ( lovt-rnor  of  Rhode  Island,  was  one  of  the  coin- 
pan}-  that  owned  a  barque  of  fifty  tons  burden,  built  in 
1641 .  at  a  cost  of  £200. 


///  flic  I' oninit ion  of  tJic  Republic.  27 

It  ma}'  not  be  amiss  here  to  erlance  southward,  and 
state  that  as  early  as  1650,  Edward  Williams  proposed 
to  introduce  into  the  Old  Dominion  a  saw  mill,  with 
an  engine  attached,  "to  cut  timber  with  great  speed;" 
a  valuable  invention  in  a  new  and  woody  country  such 
as  America.  Williams,  just  named,  was  credited  with 
having  done  much  to  stimulate  American  manufac- 
ture in  Virginia. 

John  L'owt-11,  of  l>oston,  presented  in  1726,  a  me- 
morial to  the  (ieneral  Courts,  setting  fortn  his  claim 
for  making  sail-cloth  and  duck,  at  the  rate  of  50  pieces 
a  year,  from  each  of  the  twenty  looms  he  was  about  to 
put  in  operation.  It  was  voted  to<  pay  him  £3,000  on 
condition  that  the  material  be  approved. 

John  Davies,  a  clothier  of  Connecticut,  proposed  to 
instruct  the  people  in  the  process  of  woolen  manufac- 
ture, and  in  1750,  a  Welsh  shoemaker  named  John 
Adam  Dagyr,  settled  in  Lynn,  Mass.  He  had  superior 
skill  in  making  ladies'  shoes.  Many  persons  in  Lynn 
"acquired  from  him  a  better  knowledge  of  the  art,  and 
obtained  the  reward  of  superiority,  in  the  increase  of 
their  business."  (Dr.  Bishop). 

Samuel  Williams,  LL.D.,  a  Harvard  graduate,  sur- 
veyed the  western  boundary  of  Massachusetts  in  1786, 
and  the  boundary  line  of  Vermont  in  1805.  He  was 
a  very  able  and  scholarly  man,  and  of  Welsh  stock; 
the  author  of  "The  Natural  and  Civil  History  of  Ver- 
mont." 


2.S  tt'clsliincn  as  I-'acfars 

These  gathered  sheaves,  from  a  rich  harvest-field 
of  facts,  even  in  the  early  history  of  our  country,  may 
serve  to  indicate  the  value  of  \Yelshmen  as  "factors" 
in  the  civil  and  commercial  progress  of  this  L'nion. 
Long  before  the  Union  as  such  existed,  and  in  the  for- 
mative stage  of  development,  how  marked  and  mani- 
fest the  worth  of  just  such  factors  as  we  have  r?--  ' 

Tin1  reader  will  please  re-enter  that  field  of  enquiry 
relating  to  the  remarkable  facts  we  are  expected  to  set 
fortli  touching  factors  in  our  mural  formation. 

"Sit  at  the  feet  of  history,  through  night 
Of  years  the  steps  of  virtue  she  shall  trace, 
And  show  the  earlier  ages.'' — Kryant. 

As  was  fitting,  we  placed  great  dependence  on  in- 
telligence, on  instruction,  on  principle.  It  is  gratify- 
ing to  find  that  the  nationality  of  which  we  write  was 
taking  so  deep  an  interest  in  our  American  schools- 
schools  secular  and  scientific,  schools  of  law  and  of 
religion.  This  people  have  strongly  advocated  ai  ' 
favored  what  is  called  a  liberal  education.  In  vast 
mmi1>ers  they  have  sought  and  seized  opportunity  for 
advancing  the  culture  so  essential  in  this  country. 
They  were  prominent  and  forward  in  their  patronage 
of  colleges,  even  in  Colonial  times.  Harvard  and 
Vale  have  an  antiquity  almost  hoary,  for  this  "Xevv 
World."  Reference  has  been  made  to  the  Senior  In- 
stitution and  its  origin.  Harvard  has  proved  an  in- 
measurcable  blessing  to  our  Republic,  its  graduates 


/;;  ///c  Formation  of  the  Republic.  29 

have  been  men  of  might.     Here  Samuel  Adams  took 
his  M.  A.  degree  in  1743.  being  then  in  his  23rd  year. 

Yale  is  of  later  date,  but  of  right  it  is  referred  to  as 
a  "venerable  institution."  its  patron,  Elihu  Yale,*  of 
Plas  Xewydd,  North  \Yales,  sometimes  known  as 
(lovernor  of  the  East  India  Company,  was  induced  to 
donate  a  sum  of  money  to  found  this  Xew  Haven 
School.  This  Yaje  was  a  descendant  of  a  family  that 
settled  in  Wales  as  early  as  the  thirteenth  century, 
when  the  famous  Llewelyn  lorwerth.  Prince  of 
(iwynedd,  made  the  Yales  a  grant  of  Welsh  land.  A 
grandson  of  David  Yale  was  married  to  Dorothy 
Hughes,  daughter  of  Humphrey  Hughes,  ( iwernglas, 
Denbighshire.  That  lady  was  Elihu  Yale's  grand- 
mother, June  26th,  1637,  Theophilus  Eaton,  having 
married  the  widow  of  David  Yale,  came  to  America. 
I  le  landed  in  Boston,  Mass.,  but  removed  the  follow- 
ing spring  to  Xew  Haven,  Conn.  This  Eaton  was 
the  first  ( iovernor  of  that  Colony.  Xot  only  did  a 
son  of  ( Iwyllt  Walia  give  to  this  great  school  his 
name,  but  men  of  this  nationality  have  been  promi- 
nent in  the  history  thereof.  Erom  October,  1736,  to 
October,  1739.  Elisha  Williams  was  its  President. 
Ebenezer  WillianiiS  was  "Eellow"  from  September, 


'   His  tomb  at  Wrexham,  X.  Wales,  has  the  following  inscription: 

"M.  S. 

Elihu  Yale,  Esq., 

Was  buried  the  twenty-second  day  of 
Julv,  in  the  vear  of  our  Lord,' 

MDCCXXI." 
The  Yales  are  still  famous  in  Wales,  and  noted  in  the  British  Army. 


3° 

I732>  to  September,  1743,  so  was  Elnathan  \\"illiams 
from  1/48  to  September.  1769,  ami  so  was  Solomon 
Williams  from  1749  to  1769.  From  1770  to  1776  \\  . 
\Yilliams  was  Secretary  of  the.  Corporation,  an  office 
which  Isaac  Lewis  had  aforetime  filled.  Among  the 
early  graduates  of  Yale  were  several  bearing  such 
names  as  Edwards  and  Williams.  Presidents  Jonathan 
Edwards  and  Samuel  Hopkins  graduated  here.  We 
note  with  pleasure  that  in  Yale  Divinity  School  were 
no  less  than  forty  students  of  Welsh  name  in  1886, 
and  in  1891  over  fifty. 

What  a  factor  has  this  University  been;  and  what  a 
power  for  good  is  it  at  the  present  day!  Ten  years 
ago,  1882-3.  it  numbered  nearly  eleven  hundred 
students.  From  this  institution  went  forth  the  theo- 
logian Timothy  Dwight,  the  scholar  Moses  Stewart, 
and  the  renowned  father  of  "the  Beecher  family." 
The  reader  is  aware  of  the  many  and1  important  "fac- 
tors" representing1  this  family;  and  of  the  indebtedness 
of  this  Republic  to  Dr.  Lymaii  Beecher.  to  his  son, 
Henry  Ward  Beecher,  and  to  his  daughter.  Mrs.  Har- 
riet Beecher  Sto>\ve.  H.  W.  lleecher  took  pride  in 
speaking  of  Mary  Roberts,  his  Welsh  great-grand- 
mother, and  lieecher  was  full  of  Welsh  fire. 

The  renowned  Princeton  schools  originated  in 
1753,  with  the  Nassau  Hall.  Here,  President  Ed- 
wards having  fallen  a  victim  of  small-pox,  died  in 
1758;  the  year  following  Rev.  Samuel  Davies  of  Yir- 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  31 

ginia,  honored  as  the  founder  of  the  first  Presbytery 
in  the  ( )ld  Dominion,,  became  President.  His  name  is 
an  eternal  honor  to  the  people  from  whom  he  de- 
scended. Judge  David  Howell  was  a  graduate  of 
Princeton,  1766,  and  subsequently  a  Professor  of 
Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy  in  "Rhode 
Island  College,"  1/69,  continuing  to  give  instruction 
there  "until  college  exercises  were  suspended,"  and 
the  school  broken  up  by  the  necessities  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  Judge  Howell  was  among  the  first 
lawyers  of  Providence.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Congress  of  Federation. 

lirown  I "niversitv,  "The  Rhode  Island  College"  of 
1/65,  was  founded  by  the  joint  efforts  anil  influence  of 
two  Welshmen,  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards,  the  Historian, 
and  Dr.  Samuel  Jones.  Of  the  thousands  educated 
here,  many  have  been  of  this  nationality.  To  this  seat 
of  learning  the  Reverend  William  Richards,  LL.  D., 
of  Lynn,  England,  donated  his  valuable  library,  con- 
sisting of  thirteen  hundred  volumes.  His  death  oc- 
curred in  the  year  1818.  Judge  David  Howell  was  a 
professor  here.  The  second  pastor  of  the  Second 
Church,  Hoston,  Rev.  John  Davis,  became  one  of  the 
Eellows  of  the  college  at  Providence,  now  Brown 
University.  Rev.  John  Williams,  Virginia,  was  the 
pronounced  advocate  and  friend  of  liberal  education, 
both  for  citizens  and  preachers.  Touching  the  "plan"' 
this  man  proposed  to  Dr.  Ripon  of  London,  writing 


32  H'cls'iincn  us  f'ltctors 

in  1792,  the-  Doctor  expressed  himself  thus,  "An 
educational  plan  which,  when  realized,  \vill  probably 
be  of  considerable  service  to  the  interests  of  religion." 
"Williams  was  a  public-spirited  man,  a  man  of  affairs 
both  in  the  church  and  in  the  State.  At  the  time  of 
his  conversion,  1769,  he  was  Sheriff  of  Lunenburg 
County,  and  from  that  time  forward  he  was  most 
earnestly  engaged  in  advancing'  the  best  interests  of 
his  generation.  Writing  of  the  University  Library, 
Hon.  H.  dates  Jones,  said  to  the  former  editor  of  "The 
Cambrian :  ' 

"I  find  more  than  125  Welsh  books  in  the  library 
of  l>rown  Universitv!  They  were  given  by  Rev. 
William  Richards,  LL.  I).,  of  Lynn,  who  died  in 
1818.  The  University,  as  no  doubt  you  know,  was 
founded  chiefly  by  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards.  A.  M., 
then  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Philadel- 
phia. It  seemed  to  me  that  our  people  in  America 
should  be  made  aware  of  this  important  fact,  and  so 
I  have  copied  all  the  titles  of  the  Welsh  books,  and 
am  preparing  a  paper  for  'The  Cambrian,'  if  you  think 
it  worthy  of  publication.  *  *  *  I  doubt  if  there  is 
any  other  College  or  University  in  America  which 
has  such  a  valuable  collection  of  Wrelsh  books.  It 
seems  eminently  proper  that  they  should  have  found 
a  resting  place  in  Providence.  Rhode  Island, 
founded  "by  that  noble,  brave  and  learned  Welsh- 
man—the immortal  Roger  Williams,  who  carried  with 


///  the  I-'onnalion  of  the  Republic. 


33 


him  to  America,  and,  in  spite  of  opposition  and  most 
hitter  persecution,  made  more  famous  than  it  ever  was 
hefore.  the  ( irand  Druidical  motto,  'Y  (i\vir  yn  Erbyn 
y  Byd.'-" 

The  Phillij>s'  Academy  was  founded  in  1//8,  by 
Samuel  Phillips.  Jr..  afterwards  Lieutenant  Governor 
of  Massachusetts.  He  was  a  descendant  of  Rev. 
George  Phillips."  who  "emigrated  to  that  State  in 
1630."  (L.  P.  Brockett,  M.  D.).  By  a  wise  measure, 
the  theological  Seminary  was  united  to  another  about 
to  be  opened  at  Xewbury.  The  Moderate  Calvimsts, 
and  those  of  the  Hopkinsian  belief  amalgamated,  and 
so  in  1807  Andover  Theological  Seminary  was  asso- 
ciated with  Phillips'  Academy.  Large  benefactions 
have  from  time  to  time  come  to  this  institution  from 
the  family  of  the  founder.  Hon.  John  Phillips, 
Madame  Pnoebe  Phillips,  and  \Yilliam  Phillips.  An- 
dover is  the  oldest  Theological  Seminary  in  America, 
and  on  Andover  Hill  were  originated  these  organiza- 
tions, to  wit.  The  American  Education  Society,  The 
American  Tract  Society.  The  American  Temperance 
Society.  The  Andover  press  has  sent  forth  many 
"leaves  for  the  healing  of  the  nation."  and  "Andover 
Theology"  has  become  renowned  the  world  over. 
Here  is  the  stronghold  of  Congregationalism.  In  the 
Phillips'  Academy  of  to-day,  G.  T.  Eaton  is  Professor 


*The  late  Bishop  Brooks  was  of  this  stock,  a  man  who  has  been  a  power 
for  good  in  the  Episcopacy  of  which  he  was  so  bright  an  ornament.  He 
has  proved  an  immense  blessing  to  the  Republic  also. 


34  H'clslinicii  us  i- actors 

of  Mathematics,  and  E.  L.  Adams  Professor  of  Latin 
and  English.  Rev.  George  Harris,  D.  D.,  is  Abbot 
Professor  of  Biblical  Theology  in  the  Seminary. 

Again,  to  the  generosity  and  patriotism  of  the 
famous  Colonel  Williams,  are  we  indebted  for  Wil- 
liams' College,  chartered  in  1/93.  Here  Dr.  Mark 
Hopkins  presided  for  36  years.  The  Colonel  made 
his  legacy  to  this  institution  when  in  Albany,  on  his 
way  to  Lake  <  Jeorge.  lie  seemed  to  have  had  a 
.presentment  of  the  coming  event.  An  Indian  arrow 
pierced  his  heart  and  laid  him  low.  The  Government 
had  made  him  a  grant  of  200  acres,  including  \Yil- 
liamstown.  Before  his  death  he  devised  his  landed 
property  and  wealth  for  the  support  of  a  free  school. 
He  died  in  1/55,  and  thirty-eight  years  later,  1793, 
this  school  was  put  upon  a  firm  basis.  In  1890  the 
funds  of  the  institution  aggregated  $625,000.  It  has 
id  professors. 

Welshmen  have  been  famous  in  their  relations  to 
the  I'nblic  Press  of  this  land,  a  fact  of  which  some 
notice,  must  be  taken  here.  More  will  be  added  as 
we  proceed.  To  Benjamin  Harris,  once  "a  brisk  as- 
serter  of  British  liberties."  is  awarded  the  honor  of 
having  issued  the  first  newspaper  sheet  ever  published 
in  this  country.  It  was  printed  for  him  in  IJoston, 
Mass..  by  Richard  Pierce.  True  it  was  but  a  monthly 
sheet,  with  an  account  of  such  considerable  things, 
as  had  "occurred  under  the  notice  of  the  edit  r.  giving 


/;;  the  l'(>nna/ioii  of  the  Republic.  35 

a  faithful  relation  of  all  such  things,  to  enlighten  the 
public  as  to<  the  occurre'iits  of  J)ivine  Providence." 
Furthermore,  it  made  note  of  "public  affairs  at  home 
and  abroad,"  and  essayed  "the  curing,  or,  at  least, 
the  charming  of  the  spirit  of  lying  then  prevalent," 
and  it  \vas  pledged  to  aid  in  tracing  out  and  convict- 
ing the  raisers  of  such  false  reports."  This  same  Har- 
ris kept  a  book  store  in  the  year  1679,  and  in  1692 
received  a  commission  from  ( Governor  Phips  to  print 
the  laws  of  Massachusetts  Colony.  It  was  his  love  of 
liberty  that  gave  birth  to  certain  publications  issued  in 
London,  which  made  so  great  a  stir  as  to  necessitate 
his  departure  from  ( )ld  to  Xe\v  England.  (See  Thom- 
as' History  of  Printing.  Vol.  i.,  p.  282).  Joseph  Ed- 
wards commenced  publishing  and  binding  in  Boston, 
1/23,  and  was  in  the  business  fully  forty  years.  In 
1761  Col.  Williams  carried  on  a  bookselling  and  book- 
binding business  at  Salem.  Mass.  In  the  "Boston 
(laxette  and  County  Journal,"  of  March  12,  1770, 
there  is  an  advertisement  of  William  Williams,  for 
tlie  sale  of  all  sorts  of  mathematical  instruments  made 
by  him. 

We  are  reminded  of  the  words  of  the  late  Dr. 
Thomas  found  in  his  communication  to  "The  Chat- 
auquan."  "The  history  of  the  Welsh  in  Xew  England 
is  a  mine  unworkcd  and  almost  untouched."  Our 
limits  and  our  limited  information  have  afforded  op- 


36  ll'clshmcn  as  Factors 

portunity  but  for  a  small  "opening"  as  miners  say, 
and  a  very  slight  touch  upon  a  great  theme. 

Thomas  Hancock's  name  appears  in  1728  as  having 
received  from  the  ( ieneral  Court  of  Massachusetts  a 
ten  year's  patent-right  on  a  paper  mill  built  by  him :  a 
book  age  began  to  dawn. 

Religious  literature  has  its  value,  and  every  one 
who  has  \vritten  a  good  book  has  done  good  service 
to  his  country.  Welshmen  have  often  put  forth 
"good"  books  in  this  Republic.  Nevertheless,  it  must 
be  confessed  that  Henry  Ward  lleecher  was  correct 
in  saying.  "Hooks  at  the  best,  are  only  dried  men.'' 
It  fs  the  living  voice  of  the  Christian  teacher  and 
preacher  that  exercises  a  molding  influence  over  men, 
and  makes  for  the  best  results  in  producing  and 
strengthening  good  morals.  The  blatant  infidel.  Col. 
Ingersoll.  "owes  many  of  the  good  points  of  his 
character."  to  inheritance  from,  and  to  the  principles 
of  his  father.  He  "was  a  preacher,"  and  a  man  of 
wide  sympathies  and  "extensive  moral  earnestness." 

Who  has  not  heard  of  the  wonderful  revival  in 
Northampton,  Mass..  under  the  preaching  of  Jona- 
than Edwards,  in  1734-35?  Who  can  measure  the 
moral  effect  of  such  an  awakening  in  the  formative 
history  of  our  Republic?  It  is  well  written.  "He  did 
more  perhaps  than  any  other  American  divine  in 
promoting  the  doctrinal  purity,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
quickening  the  zeal  of  the  churches."  When  a  vouth 


///  the  formation  of  the  Republic.  37 

in  college  lie  delighted  in  studying  the  philosophic 
treatise  of  John  Locke,  "<  >n  the  Unman  Understand- 
ing." lie  said,  later  in  life,  that  this  profound  work 
delighted  him,  and  gave  him  more  satisfaction  and 
pleasure  in  studying  it.  than  the  most  greedy  miser 
gels  in  gathering  up  handfuls  of  silver  and  gold  from 
some  newly  discovered  treasure."  This  gave  breadth 
and  power  to  the  young  mind,  making  it  the  master- 
mind it  afterwards  became.  Xot  only  in  preaching, 
but  through  the  press,  this  great  genius  "served  his 
generation  according  to  the  will  of  (iod."  nor  that  gen- 
eration alone,  but  our  own.  and  many  that  shall  fol- 
low. Take  for  instance,  his  "Historv  of  Redemp- 
tion;" is  not  this  a  book  for  the  present  times?  Would 
it  were  read  and  studied  to-day.  Xothing  can  be  bet- 
ter luted  to  settle  the  faith  of  Christians  and  silence 
the  ignorance  of  i n ridels.  The  authority  and  divinity 
of  the.  Scriptures  shine  clear  as  the  sim.  in  this  volume. 
Richardson  refers  to  Jonathan  Edwards  as  "the  most 
eminent  of  American  metaphysicians,"  and  such  a 
man  as  Dr.  E.  <  i.  Robinson,  late  President  of  Brown 
University,  calls  this  man  "the  ablest  metaphysician 
that  this  country  has  produced."  \\e  will  not  dis- 
agree with  the  great  Robert  Hall,  the  English  Baptist 
preacher,  in  considering  Jonathan  Edwards  "the 
greatest  of  the  sons  of  men,"  ranking  "with  the  oright- 
est  luminaries  of  the  Christian  Church,  not  excluding 
any  country,  or  any  age  since  the  Apostolic.  ' 


3&  U'clslnncn  as  }•' actors 

Rev.  Timothy  Edwards,  the  father  of  this  renowned 
man  of  Clod,  graduated  at  Hartford  College  in  1691. 
He  was  grandson  of  Rev.  Richard  Edwards,  who 
came  from  "Wales  in  the  days  of  Queen  Elizabeth.* 
(iraduating  from  Hartford  he  settled  as  pastor  at  East 
Windsor,  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Connecticut  River,, 
just  eight  miles  north  of  Hartford.  This  pastorate 
was  continued  from  1694  to  i/5^-  He  was  a  believer 
in  mental  culture,  and  sent  his  son  Jonathan  to  Vale 
when  as  yet  but  thirteen  vears  of  age.  This  father 
was  unusually  successful  in  the  moral  upbuilding  of 
New  England,  not  only  during  his  long  and  faithful 
ministry  of  the  word,  but  by  the  training  he  gave  to 
this  illustrious  son — a  son  whose  deep  piety  was  as 
marked  as  his  mental  ability,  a  son  whose  morals  were 
as  sturdy  as  his  preaching  was  powerful.  We  have 
referred  to  tie  wide-spread  and  continued  good  effects 
of  the  great  revival  in  Northampton.  Who  can  tell 
how  much  of  all  this  is  traceable  to  those  home  influ- 
ences at  East  Windsor?  We  gain  some  "idea"  from 
that  note  in  ( leorge  Whitfield's  Journal.  "We  stopped 
at  the  house  of  old  Mr.  Edwards.  His  wife  was  as 
aged,  I  believe,  as  himself,  and  I  fancied  I  was  sitting 
in  the  h'ouse  of  Zachariah  and  Elizabeth."  This  was 
in  1740.  The  father  and  son  died  the  same  year,  the 
one  in  East  Windsor  homestead,  the  other  at  Prince- 
ton. X.  J.  The  biographer  of  the  mother  writes, 


*  See  in  Boston  edition  of  "Treatise  on  Religious  Affections." 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  39 

''Mrs.  Edwards  was  always  fond  of  hooks,  and  dis- 
covered a  very  extensive  acquaintance  with  them  in 
her  conversation,  particularly  with  the  best  theo- 
logical writers."  East  Windsor  became  very  natural- 
ly the  seat  of  the  Theological  Seminary,  a  "School  of 
the  prophets."  from  which  went  forth  many  "an  able 
minister  of  the  Xew  Testament"  m  after  years.  This 
institution  may  be  regarded  as  the  parent  of  tne  Hart- 
ford Theological  Seminary  of  our  times,  an  honor  to 
the  Congregational  Church.  This  was  opened  in 
1834,  and  in  1887  had  eight  able  professors  in  its 
Faculty. 

Carlyle  said.  "( )f  a  man  or  a  nation  inquire  first  of 
all  concerning  their  religion."  and  that  because  "the 
thoughts  they  had  were  the  parents  of  the  actions  they 
did."  and  because  ''their  feelings  were  parents  of  their 
thoughts."  and  1>ecause  "the  unseen  and  spiritual  in 
them  determined  the  outward  and  the  actual."  \Ve 
may  well  rejoice,  with  joy  unfeigned,  that  this  Repub- 
lic was  blessed  \vith  such  pioneers  in  the  work  of  form- 
ing this  people  for  (rod  and  goodness.  Welshmen 
have  been  religiously  inclined,  and  their  pulpits  have 
resounded  with  notes  o>f  saving  truth  and  of  sound 
doctrine.  Men  of  this  nationality  have  honored  God, 
and  his  word,  and  in  turn  He  has  honored  them  most 
wonderfully,  both  in  Wales  and  in  this  Republic.  It 
is  difficult  to  foretell,  in  a  country  such  as  ours, 
whither  a  man's  influence  mav  reach.  From  a  church 


4o 

in  Xe\v  England  went  forth  a  colony  to  Cohanzey, 
N.  J.  There-  they  organized  a  church.  This  was  at 
first  Congregational,  but  was  subsequently  known  as 
Presbyterian.  The  first  pastor  was  Howell  Powell, 
and,  probably,  the  colonists  were  mostly  Welsh. 

Rev.  Philip  Jenkins  in  New  England  and  Xew 
York  ministered  for  more  than  half  a  century,  a  man 
of  eminent  piety.  The  first  pastor  of  the  ( Irafton 
Church,  Xew  Hampshire,  was  Oliver  Williams,  who 
died  1790,  a  descendant  it  is  said  of  the  famous  Roger 
Williams.  Richard  Williams,  who  came  from  Groton. 
Conn.,  was  pastor  of  a  church  in  Guildford,  about  the 
year  ]783/;: 

Welshmen's  footprints  are  traceable  all  over  Xew 
England.  Of  settlers  in  Londonderry,  prior  to  1738, 
were  James  Adams.  John  Adams,  John  Hopkins, 
Solomon  Hopkins,  William  Humphrey,  James  Rod- 
gers,  Hugh  Rodgers,  Hugh  Montgomery.  To  an 
address  presented  to  the  I  British  King,  setting  forth 
the  tyranny  and  oppressive  measures  of  Governor 
Cranfield,  we  have  the  following  signatures,  from 
Portsmouth:  James  Jones.  Francis  Jones.  Jonathan 
Lewis.  William  Vaughan:  from  Dover.  Thomas  Rob- 
erts, Steven  (ones,  John  Roberts,  John  Davis.  Sr.. 


*  William  Penn  has  not  designed  to  give  undue  prominence  to  any 
denomination  of  Christians  in  this  essay.  If  here  or  there,  he  lias  seemed 
so  to  do,  that  happened  because  at  the  time  and  in  the  locality  named, 
one  body  of  Christians  was  more  active  than  another  and  again,  there  had 
to  be  a  limit  to  the  amount  of  matter  introduced,  embracing  so  wide  a 
field  of  investigation. 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  41 

John  Davis,  Jr.,  Charles  Adams,  Samuel  Adams, 
John  Roberts.  K  \Yilliam  Yaughan  was  charge- 
able with  "promoting"  tumultuous  petitions,"  so 
was  Joshua  Moody,  who  became,  in  1684,  so 
marked  an  object  of  peculiar  vengeance.  Ac- 
cording' to  Yaughan's  journal.  Moody  found 
in  Major  William  Yaughan,  a  most  compan- 
ionable fellow-prisoner.  Cranfield's  order  read  on  this 
wise.  "The  warrant  and  mittimus  whereby  William 
Yaughan,  Esq..  was  committed  to  prison,  this  prison 
of  (ireat  Island;"  the  warrant  bears  date  of  February 
6th,  1683. 

Harper's  Cyclopaedia  says  the  father  of  Sir  William 
Pepperill,  born  in  Maine  as  early  as  1676,  was  a 
Welshman. 

Xew  Hampshire,  160,4,  needed  and  had  twelve 
garrisoned  houses;  one  was  owned  by  Davis,  another 
by  Jones,  another  by  Adams.  A  brave  company  of 
thirty-four  marched  with  Captain  John  Lovewell 
against  the  Indians  of  Pequawet.  March  yth,  1724, 
the  following  were  corporals.  Thomas  and  James 
Richardson.  Eliazer  Davis,  James  Davis.  Josiah  Jones. 

Second.  Coming  now  to  "The  Province  of  Wil- 
liam Penn,"  or  "Xew  Wales."  the  foot-prints  of  true 
Welshmen,  who  were  famed  as  "Factors,"  appear  dis- 
tinctly, and  in  well  nigh  every  avocation.  Here  were 

men 

"Whose  storied  deeds  shall  never  die. 
While  coming  years  their  circles  run." 


42  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Not  only  in  and  around  Philadelphia  were  these  peo- 
ple influential  and  useful,  but  also  in  parts  contiguous 
to  this  «reat  centre.  They  did  pioneer  work,  both 
civil  and  moral.  Two  of  the  three  purchasers  of  the 
\\  elsh  Tract,  so  famous  in  historv.  were  Welshmen, 
Evans  and  Davis;  the  third  party  was  named  Willis. 
The  foot-prints  of  this  people  are  everywhere  trace- 
able in  Chester  and  the  adjoining  counties.  Chester 
was  one  of  the  three  original  counties  which  formed 
the  "Province  of  William  Penn"  in  1682,  Philadelphia 
and  Bucks  being-  the  other  two.  Delaware  formed  a 
part  of  Chester  Count}',  and  so  did  Lancaster,  until 
1729.  Montgomery  formed  a  part  of  Philadelphia, 
and  so  did  Berks.  Berks  was  not  set  off  until  1752, 
Montgomery  not  until  1784.  In  Chester  County,  to 
this  day,  are  found  the  following  names  of  Townships: 
East  Coventry,  North  Coventry,  South  Coventry, 
East  Xantnueal,  West  Nantmeal  (properly  mel — the 
Welsh  for  honey),  and  hence  this  English  synonym, 
Honeybrook,  Tredyfryn,  Uwchlan  and  Upper  Uwch- 
lan.  In  Delaware,  then  Chester,  we  have  Haverford 
Township,  Xewtown  and  Radnor.  In  Lancaster,  for- 
merly Chester,  Township  of  Caernarvon.  In  Mont- 
gomery, formerly  Philadelphia,  we  have  ( Iwynedd  and 
Montgomery,  I'pper  Merion  or  Meirion,  i.  e..  Dairy 
district,  and  Lower  Merion'.  In  lierks,  set  off  from 
Philadelphia.  I  Brecknock,  and  Carnarvon,  and  Cum- 
ru,  and  Marion,  another  modification  of  Meirion, 


//(  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  43 

r> ticks  County  of  to-day  has  no  township  of  Welsh 
name:  but  in  Northampton,  taken  from  Bucks  in 
1752  we  have  Hanger  Borough,  and  East  Bangor 
village,  and  Williams  Township.  \Yhiteland  was  or- 
ganized about  1/04.  "This  was  in  the  north-western 
part  of  the  original  Welsh  Tract,  laid  out  to  them  in 
1684,"  with  the  expectation  that  they  should  be  "A 
separate  barqny,  with  liberty  to  manage  their  muni- 
cipal affairs  in  their  own  way.  It  appears  that  they 
also  desire  to  retain  their  own  language."  (History 
of  Pennsylvania,  p.  545).  In  the  latter  end  of  1698, 
a  company  of  Welshmen  bought  of  Robert  Turner 
ten  thousand  acres  of  land,  forming  the  Township  of 
Gwynedd,  i.  e.,  Xorth  Wales.  The  reader  is  referred 
to  the  History  of  this  Township  by  Howard  M.  Jen- 
kins. A  second  edition  of  this  "invaluable  book"  has 
been  published  recently.  To  this  day  a  Welshman 
travelling  on  the  Xorth  Penn  R.  R.  will  see  old  farm- 
houses of  solid  stone,  which  readily  recall  similar 
structures  in  ( iwyllt  Walia. 

Doctor  Levick,  an  esteemed  member  of  the  Phila- 
i 

delphia  Historical  Society,  says:  "The  descendants  of 
Thomas  Lloyd,  of  John  Ap  Thomas,  of  Cadwalader 
Ap  Thomas,  of  John  David,  of  Henry  Lewis,  of  John 
Roberts,  of  Hugh  Roberts,  of  Edward  Jones,  of  Wil- 
liam Ap  Edward,  of  Rowland  Ellis,  of  Robert  Owen, 
of  John  Bevan.  of  Edward  Foulke.  of  Robert  Cad- 
walader. of  Rees  Thomas,  of  Ellis  Pugh  and  others. 


44  Welshmen  as  J'actors 

sons  of  the  Founders"  are  ranked  among  the  mem- 
bers. Of  two  descendants  of  John  and  Barbara  Bevau 
it  is  claimed  that  they  are  "the  most  useful  members" 
of  this  noted  Society.  In  "The  Pennsylvania  Maga- 
zine," Dr.  J.  J.  Levick's  able  article  bearing  on  early 
days  refers  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pa-van  on  this  wise,  "Xo 
sooner  did  Barbara  Bevan,  the  wife  of  John  P>evan  of 
Glamorganshire,  learn  of  Penn's  having  received  a 
patent  from  Charles  II.  on  lands  here,  than  she  sought 
the  concurrence  of  the  meeting'  at  Trefereg  to  emi- 
grate to  America  on  ye  loth  of  ye  /th  mo.  in  ye  year 
1685."  This  step  was  taken  not  for  the  temporal 
prosperity  of  her  children,  but  for  "especially  their 
moral  welfare." 

Of  the  following,  whose  names  have  been  given  by 
the  Doctor,  we  are  able' to  certify  certain  facts  of  in- 
terest. A  late,  but  costly  work  on  the  History  of 
Merion,  Pa.,  by  T.  A.  Glenn,  Esq.,  is  exhaustive  on 
the  matter  of  Genealogy  appertaining  to  these  early 
migrations  from  Wales.  The  Cadwaladers  were  once 
supposed  to  have  "descended  from  an  early  British 
Prince  of  that  name."  Closer  investigation,  with  light 
from  "An  ancient  M.  S.  Pedigree  Parchment."  and 
"from  wills  and  court  records  in  Wales,"  proves  that 
the  American  Cadwaladers  descended  from  "March- 
weithian.  Lord  of  Is-Aled,  about  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury." John  Cadwalader.  son  of  Cadwalader  Ap 
Thomas,  who  came  to  this  country  from  Wales  in 


///  ///(•  1'onnation  of  the  Republic.  45 

1697.  and  settled  in  Merion  Township,  was  the  first 
known  to  use  the  surname  Cadwalader;  a  cousin  of 
his,  Robert  John  became  Robert  Jones,  and  for  200 
years  these,  branches  of  one  family,  have  retained 
such  separate  surnames. 

Of  the  Roberts'  pedigree,  made  out  by  a  Welsh 
"Herald"  in  the  XYIth  century.  Mr.  (ilenn  having 
a  copy,  we  find  the.se  facts.  Collwyn,  lord  of  Llyn,  in 
the  eleventh  century,  whose  descendant,  Thomas  Mor- 
ris was  the  father  of  Robert  Thomas,  father  of  Rich- 
ard Roberts.  John  Roberts,  son  of  Richard,  pur- 
chased one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land  here,  and 
in  1683  came  and  settled  thereon.  It  was  situated 
near  the  Schuylkill  river,  and  was  named  Pencoid,* 
"after  the  principal  estates  of  his  ancestors  in  Wales/' 
The  fine  mansion  he  built  is  still  standing.  In  this 
resided  one  of  John  Roberts'  descendants,  the  late 
George  B.  Roberts,  that  renowned  President  of  the 
Pennsylvania  R.  R.  Company.  The  said  John  Rob- 
erts soon  arose  to  prominence  in  the  Province  of 
'William  1 'enn.  At  his  death  in  1724,  he  left  a  large 
amount  of  property  to  his  heirs.  A  great-grandson 
of  his,  Algermon  Roberts,  was  Lieut.  Colonel  of  the 
Philadelphia  Militia  in  1777,  his  wife  being  a  daughter 
of  Colonel  Isaac  Warner.  One  of  this  man's  descend- 
ants, Algermon  Sydney  IVrcival.  became  President  of 
the  I'encovd  Iron  Works. 


*  Pen-y-Coed,  i.  e.  Woodland  Heights. 


46  Welshmen  as 

This  passing-  reference  to  Welsh  lineage  may  serve 
as  a  clue  to  certain  obscurities  related  to  "Welshmen 
as  Factors  in  the  Formation  and  Development  of  the 
United  States  Republic.''  Lines  of  history  become, 
sometimes,  so  faint  as  to  well-nigh  disappear.  Every 
lawyer  is  aware  that  much  obscurity  may  rest  upon 
titles,  by  reason  of  the  lapse  of  time  and  the  scarcity 
of  documentary  evidence.  We  greatly  rejoice  that 
Mr.  Glenn  has  bestowed  so  great  labor  on  this  his- 
toric matter.  All  such  work  should  be  encouraged, 
for  it  forms  the  bed-rock  of  history,  and  is  of  inesti- 
mable value. 

It  is  proper  that  we  here  recall  the  services  of  one 
who  \vas  a  potent  and  important  factor  in  the  early 
historv  of  what  is  now  known  as  Schuylkill  County. 
The  man's  name  was  Jacob  Morgan,  generally  re- 
ferred to  as  Captain  Morgan-.  He  was  "a  regularly 
commissioned  captain  of  colonial  troops,"  fully  twenty 
years  prior  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
"Pennsylvania  Archives,"  Volume  III.,  furnish  many 
and  interesting  particulars  touching  the  valued  serv- 
ices of  this  person,  who  for  a  long  time  commanded 
the  garrison  of  Fort  Lebanon,  later  known  as  Fort 

C5 

Williams.  Its  dimensions  were  100  feet  square:  it 
held  a  magazine,  and  was  "in  every  respect  a  well- 
equipped  fort."  Captain  Morgan  had  under  him  "A 
lieutenant  and  about  fifty-eight  men."  As  a  protector 
of  the  early  settlers  against  the  ravages  of  red  men', 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  47 

his  service  was  a  blessing,  precious  and  appreciated. 
Thus  early  we  read  of  "Ellis  Hughes'  saw-mill"  in 
these  parts.  In  the  above  volume,  p.  190,  there  is 
a  report  from  the.  Captain,  dated  June  24th,  1757,  of 
the  kind  of  work  done  in  this  region,  i.  e.,  near  to 
where  the  county  seat  now  stands.  ( )f  the  six  forts 
existing  in  these  parts,  that  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain Morgan  was  the  most  efficient  and  important. 
In  "Pennsylvania  Archives"  (Vol.  II.,  p.  669)  is  found 
a  postscript  reference  to  another  defence.  Fort  Frank- 
lin, named  alter  the  already  famous  Benjamin.  This 
is  in  \Yilliam  Edmunds'  letter,  written  to  Secretary  R. 
Peters,  dated  June  Hth,  1/56.  In  these  records  and 
at  this  time  we  read  of  Lieutenant  Samuel  Hum- 
phreys also.  "Captain  \Yayne  was  directed  (January, 
1756)  to  build  a  fort  at  Gnadenhutten  ( Weissport), 
another  company  under  Captain  Charles  Foulke  to 
aid  him  in  the  work."  To  this  defence  Mr.  Franklin 
gave  the  name  of  Fort  Allen.  Franklin  "immediately 
sent  Capt.  Foulk  to  build  another  fort  between  this 
and  Schuylkill  Fort." — Colon.  Records,  VII.,  p.  16. 

If  in  Xew  England,  this  nationality  had  furnished 
factors  of  special  value,  it  is  certain  that  in  Pennsyl- 
vania the  evidence  of  the  worth  of  Welshmen,  is  far 
more  abundant.  This  settlement  had  a  most  propit- 
ious start.  About  the  year  1676,  Thomas  Foulke,  a 
pure  Cymro.  was  appointed  Governor  of  the  Province, 
and  from  that  time  onward,  the  Welsh  took  a  leading 


4* 

position  in  all  the  affairs  thereof.  Among-  the  land- 
owners, we  have  the  following:  William  Powell,  Rich- 
ard Davies,  <  iriffith  Jones,  Nathaniel  Evans,  Joseph 
Richards,  William  Phillips,  Charles  Jones.  John  Price, 
Thomas  Rowlands,  Charles  Lloyd.  William  Jenkins, 
John  Ap  John.  John  Wynn,  William  Lloyd,  Edward 
Edwards.  John  Pierce,  George  Rogers,  John  Jones, 
Thomas  Morris.  William  Lloyd,  Thomas  Powell,  and 
many  more.  With  these,  purchasers  of  land  in  the 
country,  it  was  stipulated  that  they  should  own  lots 
in  the  City  of  Philadelphia.  "'John  Ap  Thomas  of 
Llaithgwm.  Com'mott  of  Penllyn,  in  the  County  of 
Merioneth,  and  Edward  Jones,  of  I  Jala  in  the  said 
Count}-,  Chirurgeon."  (Surgeon)  "purchased  of  \Yil- 
liam  Penn,  by  lease  and  release,  September  16  and  17, 
1681,  five  thousand  acres  in  Pennsylvania"  (History 
of  Chester  County,  p.  177).  Janney,  in  his  "Life  of 
Penn,"  p.  226,  says  that  Richard  Townsend  wrote,  in 
1683,  "A  place  called  North  Wales,  was  settled  by 
many  of  the  Britons.'*  Townsend  described  them  in 
this  wise.  "An  honest  inclined  people."  We  could 
multiply  testimony  touching  their  moral  status. 

In  his  elaborate  and  priceless  "History  of  Chester 
County,  Pa.,"  the  author.  Judge  Euthey,  remarks, 
"The  people  of  this  blood  were  among  the  best  who 
established  themselves  in  the  country,  and  for  intelli- 
gence and  enterprise  were  not  excelled  by  any."  A 
later  author,  Dr  Egle,  writes,  "Divers  of  these  early 


///  flic  /•'onnation  of  the  Republic.  49 

\Yelsh  settlers  were  persons  of  excellent  and  worthy 
character,  and  several  of  good  education,  family  and 
estate."  (History  of  Penna.). 

In  Xew  England  were  names  of  places  brought 
thither  from  old  Wales.  New  Hampshire  had  its  Car- 
digan, afterwards  changed  into  ( )range :  and  still  re- 
tains its  Swanzey  and  Comvay,  its  Chester  and  Pem- 
broke. Maine  has  its  Wales,  and  its  Welshville,  its 
Bangor  and  its  M  on  mouth :  it  has  also  a  Lewiston,  a 
Jonesborough,  a  Phillips,  and  West  Jonesport,  among 
its  towns.  Massachusetts  has  towrns  known  as  Ches- 
ter, Montgomery,  Swansea,  Pembroke  and  \Yales; 
also  Davis,  Lee,  Harris,  Hopkinton  and  \Villiams- 
town.  (Appendix  E).  To  our  mind  such  names  of 
places  serve  as  "fossil  history,"  and  tell  of  Welsh  set- 
tlers just  as  manifestly,  and  quite  as  naturally  as 
Wynne-Wood  recalls  the  coming  of  Dr.  Thomas 
Wynne  from  Flintshire,  North  Wales,  a  fellow-pas- 
senger with  William  Penn  on  "the  ship  Welcome," 
1682;  and  as  Bryn  Mawr.  crystallizes  the  fact  of 
Rowland  Ellis'  arrival  in  1686.  In  Pemrs  province 
there  were  not  a  few  Welshmen  prior  to  the  arrival  of 
the  ship  "Welcome"  in  1682.  In  1673,  the  staunch 
Nonconformist,  Rev.  John  Price,  from  Dolau,  Wales, 
was  buried  at  Nantmel,  Pa.  So  much  was  this  man  a 
dissenter  from  the  Episcopal  Church,  that  he  ordered 
his  bodv  to  be  interred  with  the  head  eastward,  and 


5°  H'clslnncn  its  Factors 

to  inscribe  on  his  gravestone  that  lie  would  ••Submit 
to  the  whims  of  Episcopacy  neither  dead  nor  alive" 

It  should  be  remarked  with  emphasis,  that  Welsh- 
men have  been  very  prominent  in  the  history  of  our 
coal  and  iron  industries..  Pennsylvania's  first  ex- 
periment in  iron  manufacture  dates  back  to  1692; 
but  Rhode  Island  puts  in  an  earlier  claim,  1636,  or 
thereabouts. '  Still  earlier  than  this,  Virginia  is  said 
to  have  attempted  the  smelting  of  iron  ore  as  early  as 
1620.  In  a  work  entitled  "The  Present  State  of  Vir- 
ginia," published  in  1724,  and  very  rare,  the  author, 
Hugh  Jones,  refers  to  this  furnace,  but  does  not  give 
the  date  of  its  construction.  Col.  Lewis  Morris,* 
from  whom  the  Morrises  of  Jersey  and  States  adja- 
cent have  for  the  most  part  descended,  received  a 
grant  of  land,  3,540  acres,  with  full  liberty  for  him  and 
his  heirs,  "To  dig,  delve  and  carry  away  all  such 
•mines  for  iron  as  they  shall  find,  or  see  fit  to  dig,  and 
carry  away  to  the  iron  works."  The  date  of  this  grant 
is  October  25th,  1676.  The  Colonel  had  a  brother, 
Richard  Morris,  who  resided  at  Morrisania.  and  co- 
operated in  this  enterprise.  The  works  were  located 

*  Possibly  this  Morris  deserved  to  be  immortalized  in  song  as  was 
"L.  Forys  o  Fon,"  by  Rev.  Gonmwy  Owen: 

"Daer  a  chwiliodd  diwy  ei  chanol, 
Chwiliai  a  chloddiai  ei  choluddion, 
A'i  dewis  wythi,  ineini  mwynion, 
A  thew  wres  emaidd  ei  thrysorion, 
A'i  manylaf  ddymunolion — bethau 
Ddeuai  f'r  goleu,  ei  dirgelion." 

This  renowned  Awdl,  "in  meinoriam."  was  composed  in  1796,  the 
author  being  at  that  time  the  clergyman  at  Llan-Andreas,  Virginia. 


JOHN  JARRETT. 


///  fhc  Formation  of  the  Republic.  51 

at  Shrewsbury,  Monmouth  County;  and,  for  that  day, 
"formed  a  large  establishment." 

In  confirmation  of  our  belief  in  the  Welsh  origin  of 
the  Morrises,  we  are  glad  to  find  the  following- from 
an  unexpected  and  unbiased  source:  Mr.  Toombs  cer- 
tifies that  there  were  certain  Morrises,  "Who  emi- 
grated from  Wales,"  settled  in  Xew  Jersey  since  1669. 
(Xew  Jersey  Troops  in  Gettysburg,  Chap.  IX)." 

Vermont,  as  we  learn  from  Williams'  "History," 
already  referred  to,  was  remarkable  for  the  number 
of  iron  works  operated  in  that  little  State,  in  the  dis- 
tant past,  and  before  it  became  an  independent  State. 
That  Welsh  brain  and  muscle  were  of  service  here  it  is 
safe  to  affirm,  albeit  the  historic  data  is  not  at  com- 
mand just  now. 

"Iron  was  first  manufactured  in  this  country  in 
Lynn,  Mass.,  in  1645." — Hon.  J.  Jarrett. 

In  a  letter  to  Lord  Keeper  North,  dated  July,  1683, 
William  Penn  refers  to  the  discovery  of  mineral,  of 
copper  and  iron,  in  divers  places  'in  the  province, 
(iabriel  Thomas,  stated  in  1698,  that  iron-stone  and 
ore  had  been  lately  found  which,  "Far  exceed  that  in 
England,  being  richer  and  less  drossy,  and  that  some 
preparation  had  already  been  made  to  carry  on  an  iron 
work."  Eurther  it  is  noteworthy  that  this  same 
Welshman  remarked  that  he  had  found  runs  of  water 
having,  "The  same  color  as  those  which  issued  from 
the  coal  mines  in  Wales."  This  man  seems  to  have 


52  Welshmen  as  1' actors 

)>een  the  first  to  find  out  the  sources  of  Pennsylvania's 
great  industries. 

Watson's  Annals  state  that  the  furnace  in  Coal 
Brook,  Berks  County,  was  built  in  1/20,  by  James 
Lewis  and  Anthony  Morris  of  Philadelphia.  Three 
years  later,  a  .Baltimore  company  erected  a  furnace  on 
<  l\vy  mi's  Falls,  and  a  forge  on  Jones'  Falls,  Balti- 
more, Maryland.  In  these  works  it  is  all  but  certain 
that  Welshmen  had  a  part. 

Valley  Forge,  formerly  Mountjoy  Forge,  was  built 
between  December,  1742.  and  April,  1751,  "By  a 
partnership  composed  of  Stephen  Evans,  Daniel 
Walker,  and  Joseph  Williams,  Lower  Merion.  This 
Williams  had  a  200  acre  farm  in  the  vicinity.  In  1738 
he  and  his  wife  executed  a  mortgage  to  Hugh  Jones 
for  £200,  and  paid  it  off  in  1750.  This  historic  Forge 
was  built  by  Stephen  Evans.  In  his  will  dated  Feb- 
ruary 21  st,  1754,  we  learn  that  he  was  or  had  been 
"owner  in  fee  of  an  undivided  third"  of  the  iron 
forge,  a  saw  mill  and  certain  tract  or  parcels  of 
land  "situate  in  the  said  County  of  Philadelphia,  part 
of  the  manor  of  Mountjoy." 

In  May,  1755,  Governor  Morris,  of  New  Jersey, 
brother  of  Robert  Morris,  the  financier,  wrote  to  Wil- 
liam Penn.  expressing  a  desire  to  take  shares  in  cop- 
per mines  at  the  Gap,  Lancaster,  in  which  Penn  was 
interested.  The  Long  Mine,  belonging  to  the  Town- 
sends,  was  worked  for  70  or  80  years,  and  supplied  on 


///  the  1'onnation  of  the  Republic.  53 

an  average  500  tons  of  ore  annually,  for  the  use  of  the 
Sterling  Works.  This  valuable  ore-bed,  situated  in 
New  York  State,  was  discovered  by  David  Jones,  and 
was  worked  to  the  depth  of  170  feet.  The  ore  yielded 
62  per  cent,  of  strong,  tough  metal,  from  which  can- 
non, muskets,  wire  and  steel  were  made.  It  was 
used  for  harness  buckles,  and  other  articles  requiring 
fine  malleable  iron.  (See  Bishop's  History,  Vol.  I., 

P-  529). 

In  personal  conversation  with  a  member  of  the  com- 
panv  operating  iron  works  near  Johanna  Heights, 
Pa.,  we  learned  that  a  Welshman  of  the  name  of  Jones 
had  started  a  coppei  furnace  there,  in  the  year  1/32. 
This  same  Jones  was  the  original  patentee  of  the.  first 
si  earn  engine  used  in  this  country  for  mine  operations. 
It  was  placed  in  what  is  known  as  the  Old  Shaft.  We 
were  assured  that  this  fact  is  proved  by  evidence  held 
by  the  American  Iron  and  Steel  Association  of  Phila- 
delphia. 

In  "Pennsylvania  ami  the  Centennial"  (Part  II.)  we 
read  that  Dr.  David  Jones,  a  Welshman,  settled  over 
one  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Caernarvon  Township  in 
1735,  and  soon  afterwards  became  prominent  as  an 
iron  master.  He  was  the  ancestor  of  Hon.  J.  (jlancy 
Jones.  This  Township  situated  in  I  Jerks  County,  Pa., 
was  settled  largely  by  Welsh  people  as  is  manifest 
from  the  grant  deed  from  William  Penn  in  1730.  This 
County  was  then  a  part  of  Lancaster.  The  deed  states 


54  U'elsJuiu'ii  as  Factors 

tnat  "A  church  of  square  logs"  was  built  here  by  the 
Episcopalians.  To  this  they  gave  ''the  name  6f  Ban- 
gor  from  a  diocese  of  that  name  in  AYales."  Kangor 
is  in  Caernarvon  County,  North  \Yales.  The  first 
pastor  of  the  "log"  church  was  Rev.  Griffith  Hughes, 
who  remained  there  until  1739.  As  indicative  of  the 
sort  of  religious  liberty  loved,  cherished  and  conceded 
by  \Yilliam  Perm,  we  give  this  extract  from  said  deed: 
<llt  is  granted  that  they  shall  enjoy  the  free  exercise  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  of  whatever  denomination." 
There  is  to  this  day  a  Baptist  church  in  Caernarvon, 
which  aforetime  held  large  numbers  of  worshipers, 
and  exerted  a  widespread  moral  influence  in  com- 
munity. 

A  correspondent  to  the  "Pottsville  Republican" 
says:  "Nathan  Evans  was  the  leader  and  adviser  of 
the  colony.  From  some  letters  that  are  still  extant  lie 
appears  to  have  been  a  man  of  pre-eminent  ablities, 
and  well-fitted  to  found  a  new  colony.  He  was  a  de- 
vout and  conscientious  man.  very  liberal  in  his  dona- 
tions to  the  church.  I  noticed  his  name  recorded  in 
the  minute  book  of  1754  for  one  hundred  pounds,  a 
large  sum  in  that  day.  His  remains  lie  in  the  church 
yard,  covered  by  a  large  marble  slab,  but  so  overgrown 
with  moss  that  the  inscription  is  not  legible;  he  died 
in  1763  at  a  great  age." 

This  writer  further  states:  "The  Welsh  sold  their 
lands  manv  vears  ago.  and  removed  farther  west, 


//;  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  55 

that  is,  most  of  them,  so  at  present  there  are  oirly  a 
fe\v  Welsh  names  in  this  community." 

From  this  seeming-  digression,  we  return  to  other 
statements  touching-  the  iron  industry,  in  early  days. 
This  is  what  we  find  from  the  said  correspondent. 

Iron  forges  were  built  on  the  Conestoga  river  in 
1750;  there  were  two  forges  just  south  of  the  town,  but 
now  torn  down.  They  were  in  operation  continually 
till  the  close  of  the  Rebellion.  There  was  also  one 
west  of  the  town.  The  Jenkins  family  owned  the  two 
Windsor  forges,  and  the  Jacob's  family  the  Pool 
forge:  they  made  money  and  grew  rich  in  the  early 
part  of  the  century.  Cyrus  Jacobs  left  a  fortune  of  a 
half  million,  and  Robert  Jenkins  nearly  as  much. 

This  valley  is  known  everywhere  as  the  Conestoga 
Valley:  it  commences  in  Southern  Berks  County,  and 
extends  to  the  Susquehanna  River,  nearly  fifty  miles 
long,  and  from  three  to  thirty  miles  wide.  In  the  early 
days  of  the  Republic  the  Conestoga  teams,  and  they 
numbered  about  10.000,  carried  merchandise  to  Pitts- 
burg.  The  Conestoga  wagons  were  of  a  peculiar 
construction,  painted  blue,  the  beds  semi-circular  in 
form,  and  covered  with  white  linen  covers,  impervious 
to  water.  \*o  wagons  are  built  of  th:e  same  form  at  the 
present  day. 

In  1759  Aurelius  remarks:  "Pennsylvania  in  regard 
to  its  iron  works  is  the  most  advanced  of  all  American 
colonies." 


56  H'clsliincii  as  ]:actors 

The  Ouita-pahilla  Forge,  near  Lebanon,  was  er- 
ected in  1/66.  It  was  owned  by  James  (  )ld.  "The 
Olds  were  natives  of  \Yales."  See  "Report  of  Centen- 
nial Managers,"  1'art  II.  In  our  day  the  Iron  Works 
near  Lebanon  and  in  the  city  are  very  extensive,  and 
in  these  many  Welsnmen  are  engaged. 

The  reader  may  be  interested  to  learn  that  our  iron 
industry  was  so  vigorously  prosecuted,  nearly  a  cen- 
tury and  a  half  ago.  and  that  our  exports  to  Great 
Britain  reached  the  following  totals  of  pig-iron: 

2,924  tons  in  the  year  1750. 
3,210  tons  in  the  year  1751. 
2,980  tons  in  the  year  1752. 
2,737  tons  in  the  year  1753. 
3,244  tons  in  the  year  1754. 
3.441  tons  in  the  year  1755. 

During  these  years  the  Colonies  also  sent  to  Britain 
six  thousand  tons  of  bar-iron.  This  export  continued 
to  increase,  so  that  in  1771,  we  sent  out  to  England,  of 
pig-iron  5.503  tons,  and  of  bar-iron  2,222  tons.  Xo 
wonder  the  British  Crown  was  unwilling  to  relinquish 
its  hold  upon  this  people  and  country.  "We  are  tempt- 
ed to  ask  whether,  in  this  particular,  history  is  not 
going  to  "repeat  itself  "  at  no  distant  day,  especially 
in  respect  to  the  tin  industry. 

In  passing,  let  us  glance  at  Wyoming  in  these  early 
times.  One  name  stands  very  prominent  as  a  Factor, 


///  the  Formation  ot  the  Republic.  57 

that  of  John  Jenkins,  Sr.  He  was  exploring  in  the  fall 
of  1/53,  and  was  at  Albany  when  the  purchase  of  the 
country  was  made  from  the  Indians,  he  taking  active 
part  in  the  n  gotiations.  In  1/55.  he  was  in  this 
valley  making  surveys;  taking  latitude  and  longitude 
for  the  Connecticut.  Susquehanna  Company.*  Jen- 
kins was  at  the  head  of  the  settlement  made  in  1/62, 
when  119  persons  were  taking  possession  of  their 
lands.  They  were  driven  out  by  the  massacre  f  of 
1/63:  survivors  returning  in  1769  with  the  forty  set- 
tlers to  Kingston,  hence  "Forty  Fort."  Many  of  these 
had  Welsh  names,  such  as  Jabez  Roberts,  Elias  Rob- 
erts, Peter  Harris.  Stephen  Jenkins.  Robert  Hopkins, 
Samuel  Morgan,  James  Evans,  Elijah  Lewis,  Elfas 
Thomas,  Timothy  Hopkins,  Menjamin  Matthews, 
Steven  Miles,  and  four  men  of  the  name  of  Lee.  "John 
Jenkins,  the  elder,"  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Judge 
Jenkins,  who  was  imprisoned  by  the  Long  Parliament. 
He  was  born  in  \Yales,  whence  he  migrated  to  this 
country  about  the  year  1735,  landing  at  Hoston  (Dr. 
Peck's  \Yyoming,  p.  389).  In  1772,  Jenkins  was  ap- 
pointed "Countee  man  to  mark  out  ye  rode  from  Dilla- 


*  It  is  known  that  what  was  called  "The  Pennamite  and  Yankee  Con- 
test," occasioned  much  trouble,  both  to  Mr.  Jenkins  and  the  early  immi- 
grants to  these  parts.  Both  claimed  the  right  to  the  lands  contiguous  to 
the  junction  of  the  Lack  a  wanna  and  Susquehanna.  In  1773  tn.e  leK*slature 
of  Connecticut  adopted  a  resolution  "asserting  the  jurisdiction  of  this 
colony,  and  a  determination  of  maintaining  the  same." 

+  On  the  Massacre  monument,  near  "Forty-Fort,"  we  find  the  follow- 
ing names:  Jos.  Hopkins,  Josiah  Jennings,  Elisha  Richards,  Wm.  Rey- 
nolds, Elias  Roberts,  Elihti  Waters,  Elihu  \Villianis,  Rufus  Williams, 
Aziba  Williams,  John  Williams. 


58  Hclsluncn  as  ['actors 

ware  to  Pittstown."  Mr.  Jenkins  was  an  accomplished 
scholar  and  surveyor.  He  was  exceedingly  popular, 
by  reason  of  the  valued  services  he  rendered  as  patriot, 
citizen,  and  soldier.  The  Colonel  was  school-teacher, 
and  constable,  in  this  settlement:  and  an  agent  of  the 
Susquehanna  Company  for  the  sale  of  lands.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  as  a  Revolutionary  soldier  in  Novem- 
ber, 1777,  and  two  years  later,  waited  on  Washington, 
to  plan  the  Sullivan  campaign.  We  shall  see  more  of 
this  man,  as  a  soldier,  later  on.  It  is  worthy  of  note 
here  that  to  John  Jenkins  of  Wyoming  belongs  the 
honor  for  having  taught  the  first  public  school  in  these 
parts,  near  the  Ravine  Colliery  in  that  valley. 

Catawissa  was  laid  out  by  William  Hughes  in  1787. 
Berwick  had  an  early  settler,  Evan  Owen  (1783). 

The  City  of  Philadelphia  presents  a  marvellous 
record  of  "Welshmen  as  Factors."  in  various  lines, 
and  that  from  its  early  history  unto  this  day. 

In  1756,  Thomas  Stephens  published  in  London, 
"A  Method  and  Plain.  Process  of  Making'  Potash." 
That  year  he  came  to  America.  Having  joined  Frank- 
lin and  others  in  the  purchase  of  what  was  known 
as  the  "Liverpool  Company's  Potash  Works"  in  Phila- 
delphia, thev  put  up  a  large  furnace  with  additional 
buildings.  In  about  a  month,  "Stephens'  Xew  Pro- 
cess" was  in  operation.  Gov.  Denny  and  others  were 
among  the  gratified  inspectors  of  this  novelty.  Dr. 
William  Lewis  was  awarded  a  medal  by  the  Society  of 


///  flic  Formation  of  the  Republic.  59 

Arts,  London,  for  an  essay  on  the  American  process 
of  making1  potash.  This  was  in  the  year  1767. 

The  period  contiguous  to  the  Revolution  was 
marked  by  an  attempt  to  cultivate  silk  manufacture  in 
this  country.  Dr.  John  Morgan  became  deeply  inter- 
ested. He  sought  and  obtained  from  Italy,  through 
II  are  &  Skinner,  silk  merchants.  London,  a  knowl- 
edge of  "The  most  improved  method  of  preparing  raw 
silk."  This  knowledge  he  communicated  to  the  Phila- 
delphia Society.  He  also  prepared  an  essay,  published 
in  Vol.  II.  of  the  "Society's  transactions."  As  a  result, 
this  industry  was  stimulated  greatly,  and,  for  a  while, 
promised  great  success.  Among  the  original  man- 
agers of  the  L'nited  Company  of  Philadelphia,  for 
promoting  American  manufacture,  we  find  the  names 
of  Robert  S.  Jones  and  Isaac  Howell.  This  Society 
was  formed  February  22,  1775. 

Exceptionally  great  became  the  name  and  fame  of 
Oliver  Evans.  He  was  "a  poor  boy  of  a  Welsh  farm- 
ing family  in  Pennsylvania,'"  and  self-taught.  He  be- 
came a  man  "whose  inventive  and  constructive  skill 
have  added  to  the  permanent  wealth  of  the  State  and 
Union."  (Bishop).  In  the  Philadelphia  "Inquirer" 
for  April  6th,  1855,  the  following  statement  appears: 
"He  states  that  in  1775  he  conceived  the  idea  of  pro- 
pelling boats  with  his  engines  by  means  of  wheels  at 
the  side,  and  communicated  his  discovery  to  others." 
Fulton  launched  his  boat,  the  "Xorta  River."  in  1807; 


60  Welshmen  as  I:acfoi's 

Evans'  boat  moved  up  and  down  the  Sehuylkill  River 
years  earlier  than  that.  Again,  "The  true  parent  of 
the  railway  system  is  not  Mr.  Stevenson,  who  intro- 
duced it,  but  a  greater  genius — Oliver  Evans  of 
America — who  invented  the  high -pressure  engine,  and 
steam  locomotive,  before  1786,  but  could  not  intro- 
duce his  invention,  between  Philadelphia  and  Xew 
York,  though  he  offered  to  construct  the  locomotive 
at  his  own  risk."  ( Prof.  Buchanan).  Evans  had  proph- 
esied that  the  time  would  come,  when  people  should 
travel  in  stages  moved  by  steam  engines,  from  one  city 
to  another,  moving  "almost  as  fast  as  birds  fly."  This 
genius  who  died  in  18  ly,  estimated  his  invention  as 
worth  ten  hundred  million  dollars!  In  1804,  he  had 
his  Eruktor  Amphibolis,  constructed  at  the  famed 
Marr's  Works.  It  would  move  on  land  or  water.  It 
was  used  for  dredging  purposes,  and  supplied  with 
paddle  wheels  at  the  stern;  it  was  propelled  sixteen 
miles  along  the  Delaware  River.  (See  Renwick  on 
the  steam  engine).  As  early  as  1771  Evans  affirmed 
that  he  could  propel  boats  and  wagons  by  means  of 
steam.  In  Philadelphia  he  put  into  operation  a  sta- 
tionary engine  "on  the  direct  pressure  plan  for  grind- 
ing gypsum  and  sawing  marble.'  He  discovered  and 
applied  the  high  pressure  principle  in  engine  works. 
His  genius  marked  and  made  "A  new  era."  He  was 
not  satisfied  with  a  steam  navigation,  but  proposed  to 
the  Lancaster  Pipe  Company  to  convey  one  hundred 


///  the  I'onnation  of  the  Republic.  61 

barrels  of  Hour  fifty  miles  in  twenty-four  hours  in  a 
steam  carriage.  In  1805  he  published  his  famous  ''En- 
gineer's Guide."  fully  describing  the  principles  and 
methods  of  propelling  by  steam,  both  on  land  and 
water.  O.  Evans  was  the  James  Watt  of  this  Western 
Hemisphere.  Once  making  card  teeth  by  hand,  he 
soon  invented  a  machine  by  which  such  cards  were 
manufactured  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  hundred  per 
minute.  This  was  about  the  year  1/77.  His  fame  is 
an  eternal  honor  to  the  city  of  his  adoption. 

Whitehead  Humphreys  was  proprietor  of  a  steel 
furnace  in  this  city,  as  early  as  1770.  It  was 
situated  on  Seventh  Street,  below  Market  and  Chest- 
nut. Among  other  articles  manufactured  were  steel 
tools.  He  received  one  hundred  pounds  from  the 
Provisional  Assembly,  for  the  encouragement  of  his 
genius. 

Joshua  Humphreys,  the  naval  architect  of  deserved 
fame,  gave  to  Philadelphia,  the  pre-eminence  it  still 
enjoys  for  ship-building.  As  stated  by  Dr.  Bishop,  he 
formed  ''The  germ  of  the  American  navy."  Tempting 
offers  were  made  to  enlist  his  genius  in  other  lands. 
He  suggested  to  Congress  "Some  important  improve- 
ments in  the  construction  of  vessels  ordered  by  that 
body,  and  was  called  upon  to  furnish  drafts  and 
models  for  the  six  frigates  which  constituted  the 
American  navy." 

In  the  Formative  Period   men  of   this    nationality 


62 

look  prominent  part  in  the  political  affairs  of  the  Re- 
public. This  was  seen  in  New  England,  and  was 
much  more  apparent  in  "New  Wales/'  where 

"Meib  Cymru  gu,  fu'n  gaeth, 

Chwifiant  mewn  goruwchafiaeth." — Cynddehv. 

Stephen  Hopkins  in  1732  wTas  a  Representative  in 
the  General  Assembly,  and,  in  1741,  was  chosen 
Speaker  of  that  body.  He  was  elected  Governor  of 
Rhode  Island  in  1756,  and  was  re-elected  several  times 
to  that  high  office.  In  1774,  he  was  sent  to  Congress, 
and  again  in  1775,  and  1776.  In  J778  he  was  again 
returned  to  Congress. 

In  "Penn's  Province"  as  early  as  1682,  David  Lloyd 
was  Attorney  General,  the  first  in  the  history  of  the 
Province.  In  1705  he  was  Supreme  Judge.  Under 
the  Provincial  Government  Thos.  Lloyd  was  made 
keeper  of  the  "Great  Seal."  He  was  Master  of  Rolls 
in  1683,  and  again  in  1690;  in  1684  he  was  President 
of  the  Provincial  Council;  in  1689  he  was  Chairman 
of  the  P>oard  of  Five  Commissioners  of  the  Province; 
in  1691  and  1693  lie  was  Deputy  Governor.  Thos. 
Ellis  was  Registrar  General  of  Wills  in  1687.  and  Sam- 
uel Jennings  in  1692.  Jennings  also  served  in  1690  as 
a  Receiver  General.  November,  1701,  Griffith  Owen 
was  one  of  the  four  commissioners  of  property, 
transacting  the  business  of  the  land  office.  As  Sec- 
retaries o>f  that  office,  Richard  Peters  served  in  1/48, 
and  William  Peters  in  1760.  To  Griffith  Owen  and 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  63 

two  others  was  committed  the  keeping  of  the  Great 
Seal  in  1/05.  Peter  Evans  was  Registrar  General  of 
Wills  from  1707  to  1713,  and  again  in  1725.  John 
Evans  was  Deputy  Governor  in  1703,  and  Lieutenant 
Governor  from  1704  to  1709.  He  was  Registrar 
of  Wills  in  1704.  From  August,  1738,  to  May,  1746, 
George  Thomas  was  Lieutenant  Governor;  and  from 
October,  1754,  to  August,  1756,  Robert  H.  Morris 
was  Deputy  Governor.  He  was  the  eldest  son  of 
Lewis  Morris,  Chief  Justice  of  New  York  and  New 
Jersey.  A  paper  written  by  Lawrence  Lewis,  Jr.,  was 
read  before  the  Historical  Society  of  Philadelphia,  and 
published  in  the  Pennsylvania  Magazine  (Vol.  V.). 
The  theme  of  the  paper — "The  Courts  of  Pennsylvania 
in  the  XVII.  Century"  makes  it  highly  interest- 
ing. The  author  says,  "Few  of  the  early  colonists  of 
this  Province  deserve  the  thanks  and  remembrance  of 
posterity  more  than  David  Lloyd." 

The  Welsh  people  have  been  honored;  the  State  has 
known  their  value,  and  their  fellow-citizens  have 
acknowledged  their  superiority  from  age  to  age. 
From  the  Colonial  Records  (Vol.  II.,  p.  116)  we  learn, 
"That  John  Evans,  Esq.,  arriving  in  this  city  (Phila- 
delphia) last  night  with  a  commission  from  William 
Penn,  Esq.,  proprietary  and  Governor,  constituting 
him,  ye  said  John  Evans,  his  Lieutenant  Governor  of 
this  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  counties  annexed, 
with  ye  Queen's  royal  approbation  of  the  same,  in  a 


64  Uclsluncn  as  ]•  actors 

council  held  in  Hampton  Court,  ye  3oth  July,  1703." 
From  that  time  till  June,  1709,  he  appears  as  Lieu- 
tenant C Governor  of  the  Province.  For  the  most  part, 
David  Lloyd  was  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives, and  Lloyd  continued  Speaker  even  under  the 
administration  of  Lieutenant  (lovernor  Gooken, 
Evans'  successor.  From  1770  to  1776  Lewis  Davis 
was  County  Treasurer  of  Chester.  In  1780  that 
office  was  held  by  William  Evans.  From  1709  to  1764 
there  was  a  line  of  Welshmen,  beginning'  with  Thos. 
Powell,  and  closing  with  Jas.  Evans,  who  filled  the 
office  of  Justice  in  this  County.  Welshmen  were 
sheriffs,  from  John  Owens  in  1729  to  Benjamin  Da- 
vis in  1761,  with  hardly  an  exception.  There  was 
quite  a  line  of  coroners  of  Welsh  name  from  1737  to 
1785.  About  the  year  1720  Chester  County  created  a 
new  office,  that  of  County  Commissioner.  For  full 
sixty  years,  1721-82.  almost  without  intermission,  this 
position  was  filled  by  men  of  Welsh  name. 

Into  the  Continental  Congress,  Pennsylvania  sent 
the  following  delegates,  among  others:  Geo.  Clymer, 
Charles  Humphreys,  Samuel  Meredith,  Chas  Morris, 
Robt.  Morris,  Jos.  Montgomery,  John  Morton,  Rich- 
ard Peters.  The  following  is  from  the  list  of  Associate 
Judges  of  Pennsylvania:  James  Harrison,  1686;  Grif- 
fith Jones,  1690;  Antony  Morris,  1694;  Thos.  Griffiths, 
1739;  John  Morton,  1774:  John  Evans,  1777.  Antony 
Morris  was  the  first  Mayor  of  Philadelphia.  In  1737 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  65 

Thos.  Griffiths  was  custodian  of  the  Great  Seal.  In 
1747  Richard  Peters  was  proprietary  Secretary.  In 
1777,  John  Morris  was  Attorney  General  of  the  Prov- 
ince, and  of  all  the  Courts.  Caleb  Davis  was  Pro- 
thonotary  and  Clerk.  In  1782  he  was  County  Com- 
missioner. l~p  to  the  year  1790  the  "Assembly"  of 
Pennsylvania  consisted  of  but  one  house,  and  for  more 
than  one  hundred  years,  these  Welshmen  were  promi- 
nent figures  in  that  august  body.  From  Chester 
County  alone  over  thirty  men  of  Welsh  blood  and 
name  served  one  or  more  years  as  Assemblymen. 
Some  were  returned  to  the  House  over  and  over  again, 
e.  g.,  David  Lloyd  was  there  from  1694  to  1728, 
twelve  years;  John  Parry  from  1729  to  1736,  seven 
years:  and  Charles  Humphreys  from  1763,  for  an  un- 
broken period  of  thirteen  years. 

It  is  clear  that  in  those  days  the  nationality  of  which 
we  write  were  not  found 

"Dropping  buckets  into  empty  wells, 
And  growing  old  in  drawing  nothing  up." 

The  political  honor  put  on  Rev.  Samuel  Jones,  D. 
D.,  is  evidence  sufficient  of  this.  When  chosen  to 
serve  in  the  Congress  of  his  day — one  of  our  "Lords 
spiritual" — he  filled  his  place  there,  as  everywhere  else. 

Proverbial  everywhere  is  the  "Phladelphia  lawyer." 
To  some  of  this  class  we  have  referred  already.  This 
city  has  been  famed  for  Welshmen  of  high  standing  in 
this  profession.  William  Lewis,  of  Chester  County, 


66  Welshmen  as  Factors 

was  a  member  of  the  Philadelphia  bar  before  the 
adoption  of  the  State  Constitution  of  1776,  and  was 
engaged  in  nearly  all  the  important  cases,  particularly 
in  cases  of  "high  treason,"  for  which  he  had  a  special 
vocation  and  capacity.  In  these  cases,  he  was  uni- 
formly on  the  side  of  the  defendant.  It  may  afford 
a  distinct  idea  of  his  political  sentiments  to  state,  that, 
during  the  administrations  of  \Yashington  and  John 
Adams,  and  continuously  during  life,  Mr.  Lewis  was 
a  thorough  Federalist,  amusingly  Anti-Gallican,  and 
entirely  anti-Jeffersonian.  He  was  District  Judge  of 
Pennsylvania  in  1791  and  1/92.  The  distinguished 
soldier,  Col.  Samuel  Miles,  was  a  Judge  of  the  Court 
of  Errors  and  Appeals;  his  picture  still  adorns  the 
office  o>f  the  chief  magistrate  in  Philadelphia.  No 
wonder  he  was  highly  esteemed,  for  of  him  it  is  writ- 
ten, "He  loved  and  cherished  his  country  as  if  he  ex- 
pected to  live  in  it  forever;  and  yet,  he  served  his  God, 
as  if  he  constantly  felt  that  he  was  a  stranger  in  this 
world."  General  Miles  served  as  Mayor  of  the  city. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  from  the  legal  profes- 
sion-came many  of  the  brightest  ornaments  of  the 
Revolutionary  period,  and  of  these,  quite  a  number 
were  of  \Yelsh  blood.  The  names  of  Jefferson,  the 
Adamses  and  others,  will  readily  recur  to  the  reader's 
mind.  From  the  clays  of  John  Marshall,  "the  great 
American  Mansfield  of  our  national  judiciary."  this 


///  the  formation  of  the  Republic.  67 

Republic  has  been  honored  by  not  a  few  judges  of 
Welsh  name  and  fame. 

How  many  of  our  Presidents  have  come  from  this 
profession;  we  do  not  need  to  recount  their  names. 
Hosts  of  these  have,  from  time  to  time,  served  their 
country  and  their  generation  as  Legislators,  as  Re- 
presentatives, and  as  Congressmen.  Of  the  immortal 
signers  not  less  than  thirty-four  were  lawyers;  and 
honorable  men  were  they  all.  \Ye  fully  credit  the 
statement  that  "the  annals  of  the  world  can  present  no 
political  body,  the  lives  of  whose  members,  minutely 
.traced,  exhibit  so  much  of  the  zeal  of  the  patriot,  dig- 
nified and  chastened  by  the  virtues  of  the  man."  We 
shall"  have  occasion  to  do  honor  to  many  of  these  as 
men  of  Welsh  blood.  It  is  a  delight  to  trace  their 
footprints  from  the  very  early  times  unto  this  day. 

Stephen  Hopkins  was  in  1751  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Superior  Court  of  Rhode  Island.  David  Lloyd  of 
Dyffryn  Mawr,  and  Griffith  Owen,  attorney  to  Wil- 
liam Penn.,  Jr.,  and  the  famous  jurist  David  Davis 
were  of  this  nationality. 

Richard  Peters,  of  this  nationality,  famous  jurist  as 
he  was,  succeeded  on  his  farmland  became  an  ardent 
patron  of  agricultural  improvement.  In  1797  he  pub- 
lished a  statement  of  his  experiments  with  gypsum  as 
a  fertilizer.  He  was  elected  President  of  the  Philadel- 
phia Agricultural  Society,  and  went  down  to  history 


68  Welshmen  as  Factors 

honored  for  "important  improvements    in    American 
agriculture." 


THE  WELSH  OF  PHILADELPHIA  AND  VICINITY  ON 
MORAL  LINES. 

The  strength  and  efficiency  of  the  Quaker  elements 
and  factors,  which  came  from  Wales,  are  everywhere 
acknowledged.  I  Vim  being  of  this  faith,  many  a  Welsh 
Friend  was  drawn  to  the  City  of  Brotherly  Love. 
An/  old  record  of  the  meeting  held  on  the  8th  of 
November,  (682,  at  Shackamaxon  has  this  statement: 
"At  this  time  Governor  Penn  and  a  number  of  Friends 
arrived  here,  and  erected  a  city  called  Philadelphia." 
In,  his  work  entitled  "The  Early  Baptists  of  Philadel- 
phia," Rev.  D.  Spencer,  1).  D.,  says:  "William  Penn, 
though  a  Quaker,  entertained  strong  ]>aptist  senti- 
ments." Baptists  and  Quakers  had  been  singled  out 
as  persons  specially  hated  by  the  king,  and  virulently 
opposed  and  persecuted  by  his  orders.  Penn  was  glad 
of  an  opportunity  to  offer  these  people  a  refuge  from 
the  storm  which  raged  from  1660  to  1688.  From 
Nantmel  and  the  Dolau  (Welsh  plural  for  dale),  Welsh 
Baptists  came  hither.  They  settled  on  IVnnypec 
Creek.  Among  these  were  the  Eatons.  whose  de- 
scendants became  Factors  of  very  great  worth  in  this 
Formative  Period.  They  formed  the  church  known  as 
the  Lower  Dublin,  organized  in  1688,  and  still  flour- 
ishing. 


/;;  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  69 

It  may  be  stated  that  certain  of  the  Friends,  follow- 
ers of  George  Keith,  believed  in  and  practiced  Immer- 
sion. They  were  called  Keithians  or  Ouak.er-Baptists. 
These,  as  the  rest  of  the  Welshmen  of  that  day,  were  a 
unit  in  their  endeavor  to  build  a  sound  morality  in  this 
settlement,  destined  to  grow  into  an  influential  centre, 
civil,  political  and  moral.  The  impress  of  their  lives 
and  labors  can  never  be  obliterated.  They  struck  a 
harmonious  and  sweet  keynote  on  which  to  sing  their 
"Psalm  of  Life.''  Their  motto  seems  to  have  been' 
akin  to  those  three  lines  of  Longfellow: 

"We  can  make  our  lives  sublime, 
And,  departing,  leave  behind  us 
Foot-prints  on  the  sands  of  time." 

\Yhat  John  Myles  and  Roger  \Yilliams,  Joshua 
Moody  and  Jonathan  Edwards  were  to  "New  Eng- 
land," these  people  were  to  "New  Wales."  On  their 
heads  should  rest  ten  thousand  benedictions! 

In  1889-1890  the  author  of  this  essay  was  hired  to 
write  for  "The  Daylight''  and  "The  Dawn" — "Y 
Wawr" — a  series  of  articles  on  "The  Relation  of 
Welsh  Baptists  to  the  Rise  and  Progress  of  Baptist 
Principles  in  America."  Xow,  that  concealment  is  no 
longer  necessary,  we  feel  free  to  copy  some  of  the  his- 
toric facts  about  these  factors,  which  may  be  read  in 
the  monthlies  we  have  named.  This  may  add  to  the 
worth  of  the  present  volume. 

"The   Lower   Dublin   or   Pennypeck   Church,   and 


7o  Welshmen  as  f' actors 

'mother  of  churches,'  was  founded  as  early  as  January, 
1688.  Like  the  first  Baptist  Church  of  Christ  and  the 
first  Baptist  Church  in  America,  Providence,  its  con- 
stituent members  were  but  'twelve.'  Among-  these 
twelve  were  John  Eaton,  George  Eaton  and  Jane  his 
wife,  Sarah  Eaton,  Samuel  Jones — all  Welsh.  The 
first  pastor  was  Elias  Keach,  who  returned  to  London 
in  1692.  Rev.  Evan  Morgan  was  ordained  here  Oc- 
tober 23,  1706.  together  with  Rev  Samuel  Jones,  who 
died  in  February,  1722.  In  1711,  Rev.  Abel  Morgan 
'took  on  him  the  care  of  the  church,'  and  was  its  pas- 
tor until  he  died,  December  16,  1722.  In  1725,  Rev. 
Jenkin  Jones  was  called  to  the  pastorate.  Rev.  Sam- 
tvel  Jones,  D.  D.,  was  ordaind  here  January  8,  1763, 
and  continued  pastor  until  his  death,  February,  1814. 

"The  Welsh  Tract  church  was  served  by  Rev.  Da- 
vid Davis,  a  native  of  Wales,  from  1734  to  the  time  of 
his  death  in  1769.  The  liberal  bequest  of  Hugh  Mor- 
ris was  helpful  to  this  church.  Out  of  it  went  forth 
the  constitutent  members  of  Welsh  Neck.  S.  C.,  the 
London  Tract,  Duck  Creek,  and  others.  It  was  one 
of  the  five  churches  which,  in  1707.  formed  the  Phila- 
delphia Association.  In  fact,  of  the  'five'  churches 
four  were  Welsh.  The  records  of  the  Welsh  Tract 
Church  were  kept  in  Welsh  from  the  beginning  until 
1732.  The  First  Church  of  Philadelphia  now  under  the 
care  of  Dr.  Boardman,  had  in  time  past  the  following 
Welshmen  as  pastors:  Samuel  Jones,  not  the  D.  D., 


Evan  Morgans.-  Xathaniel  Jenkins.  Thomas  Griffiths, 
Elisha  Thomas.  Enoch  Morgan  and  Abel  Morgan. 
During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  Jenkin  Jones  he  had  no 
other  charge:  but  as  late  as  1746  it  was  a  question 
whether  Philadelphia  was  not  a  branch  of  Pennepek/ 
Rev.  Jenkin  Jones  died  in  the  city,  July,  1761,  and 
was  buried  there:  'a  good  man  an-d  did  real  services  to 
this  church  and  to  the  Baptist  interest.'  The  successor 
was  the  noted  Morgan  Edwards,  A.  M. 

"The  minutes  of  the  Philadelphia  Association!  meet- 
ings in  this  city  in  1731:,  and  again  in  1733,  and  again 
in  1740.  proved  that  full  half  the  pastors  were  Welsh- 
men. The  number,  and  Scripture-reading  habits,  of 
the  \Yelsh  in  these  parts,  and  in  those  early  days,  may 
be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  Rev.  Abel  Morgan  pub- 
lished in  Philadelphia  a  Welsh  Concordance — Myn- 
egair  Vsgrythyrol — in  1730.  This  wras  many  years 
earlier  than  Peter  Williams'  work  in  Wales,  or  Alex. 
Cruden's  work  in  England.  Referring  to  Morgan's 
book.  Rev.  D.  Davies,  Oshkosh.  Wis..  remarks, 
'This  book  bears  the  impress  of  a  man  of  genius.'  It 
was  on  'an  original  plan,'  and  dedicated  'to  the  honor 
of  David  Lloyd,  Chief  Justice  of  the  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania.' "The  author  served  the  Lower  Dublin  Church 
—being  its  sixth  pastor.  He  came  to  this  country  in 
1712." 

It  is  with  profound  respect  for  the  memory  of  the 
noble  deeds  of  noble  men  that  we  add  facts  about 


72  Welshmen  as  ]:actors 

the  followng  Factors.  The  Press,  and  School,  anil 
Pulpit  were  acknowledged  as  moral  forces.  In  1689, 
William  Penn  established  a  public  High  School  with 
a  charter,  in  Philadelphia.  The  public  school  does 
good  service  when  it  gives  to  children,  even  the  poor 
a  rudimentary  education  along  the  line  of  the  three 
"R.'s;"  but  its  best  service  is  done  where  it  creates 
a  thirst  for  higher  education,  so  as  to  lay  broad  and 
strong  the  foundations  of  success  in  life.  At  an  early 
day,  Enoch  Lewis  was  Principal  of  the  Xew  (larden 
Boarding"  School,  and  Jos.  Foulke  Principal  of  the 
<  i \\ynedd  Boarding  School.  Both  these  famous  teach- 
ers had  been  educated  in  the  \Yest-town  Boarding 
School,  Pa.  Of  Dr.  Samuel  Jones'  school,  Lower 
Dublin,  which  was  established  in  1766,  and  continued 
well-nigh  thirty  years,  it  is  said,  "Many  were  educated 
here  who  were  useful  in  different  learned  profes- 
sions."* Dr.  Wickersham  notes  that  out  of  this  in- 
stitution grew  Lower  Dublin  Academy,  chartered  by 
the  Supreme  Court  in  1794.  John  Harris,  the  found- 
er of  Harrisburg.  January,  1705,  endowed  by  income 
from  his  famous  Ferry,  supplemented  by  private  sub- 
scriptions, an  Academy  April,  1786.  when  Dauphin  Co. 
was  as  yet  but  one  year  old.  In  1792.  Samuel  B.  Da- 
vies  was  master  of  this  school;  a  certain  number  of 
poor  children  had  free  instruction  here,  but  their 


*  Dr.  Spencer  writes  of  Dr.  Jones  as  "a  man  who,  in  his  day,  was  a 
noble  representative  of  our  denomination,  active  in  all  that  pertained  to 
culture  and  aggressive  work."  (Early  Baptists  of  Philadelphia.  P.  '164.) 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  73 

names  were  not  published.  Subsequently  the  Har- 
risburg  Academy  was  chartered,  1809,  and  received 
from  time  to  time  State  appropriations.  To  establish 
an  academy  in  Bellefont,  Centre  County,  Jas.  Harris 
gave  in  1800,  certain  lots  and  land;  this  became  a 
classical  school.  It  was  under  the  principals-hip  of 
Rev.  J.  P.Hughes  in  1868,  and  was  enlarged  and  im- 
proved greatly  under  his  care. 

The  name  of  Isaac  Eaton,  a  descendant  of  the  Eaton 
family,  who  came  from  Wales  to  Pennsylvania,  and 
formed  part  of  the  Lower  Dublin  Church,  is  asso- 
ciated with  Hopewell  Academy,  founded  in  1756 — the 
first  institution  of  the  kind  in  that  denomination. 
Revs.  Abel  Morgan  and  Abel  Griffith  were  appointed 
as  two  of  the  inspectors  of  Hopewrell  Academy,  New 
Jersey,  of  which  Isaac  Eaton  was  President  and  In- 
structor. As  a  sample  of  the  kind  of  men  graduating 
from  this  institution,  we  name  Rev.  David  Thomas, 
A.  M.,  who  removed  to  Virginia,  settling  with  the 
Broad  Run  (B.)  Church,  in  1762.  He  was  a  great 
man,  and  of  great  service  in  the  interest  of  God  and 
truth.  He  was,  moreover,  a  potent  factor  in  the  cause 
of  the  Revolution,  advocating  the  prosecution  of  the 
war  with  marked  vigor.  He  was  held  in  high  esteem 
by  Thomas  Jefferson.  Such  was  his  eloquence,  that 
people  travelled  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  miles  to 
hear  him  preach.  Another  student  of  Eaton's  Acad- 
emy at  Hopewell,  and  graduate  of  the  College  of 


74  WelsJuncn  as  Factors 

Philadelphia,  was  John  Davis,  the  younger,  a  native 
of  Delaware.  He  gave  great  promise  of  usefulness, 
was  settled  in  IVoston,  Mass.,  but  his  brilliant  career 
closed  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-five. 

"We  live  in  deeds,  not  years:  in  thoughts  not  breaths." 

— Bailey. 

Again,  Dr.  James  Manning,  first  President  of  Rhode 
Island  College,  and  Samuel  Jones,  D.  D.,  with  others, 
were  educated  here.  Dr.  Jones  preached  the  fimeral 
sermon  of  his  able  teacher,  eulogizing  the  "extensive 
knowledge  and  ability"  of  this  Welshman.  New  Jer- 
sey is  still-honored  with  that  old  Academy  building  at 
Hopewell. 

De  Tocquiville  ("America"  Vol.  I.,  p.  152)  has 
pointed  out  religion  as  "One  of  the  most  prominent" 
among  "the  causes  to  which  the  maintenance  of  the 
political  institutions  it  attributable." 

There  are  churches  in  Wales,  such  as  Ilston,  Hen- 
go<ed,  Penyfai,  Rhydwilym,  and  .Blaenau  Gwent,  that 
cannot -be  forgotten  in  this  land.  From  these  came  to 
us  very  giants,  in  days  gone  by.  John  Miles,  from 
Ilston,  i.  e.,  Llanilltyd;  Thomas  Jones,  the  father  of 
Dr.  Samuel  Jones,  from  Penyfai;  with  \Villiam  Davies, 
Morgan  J.  Rhys  (Rees),  from  Hengo'ed;  Dr.  David 
Jones,  Abel  Morgan  and  others,  from  Blaenau  Gwent, 
were  gifts  of  these  churches  to  the  moral  wealth  and 
prosperity  of  this  Republic.  These  early  fathers  did 
indeed  father  and  foster  our  institutions.  They  laid, 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  75 

firmly  and  strongly,  the  foundations  of  much  of  the 
good  enjoyed  by  us  to-day.  We  have  entered  into 
their  labors.  We  harvest  the  results  of  the  planting 
done  by  them.  As  early  as  1710,  there  were  in  the 
Welsh  Tract,  two  Welsh  congregations,  and  the  father 
of  Samuel  Jenkins,  Esq.,  author  of  "Letters  on  Welsh 
History,"  used  to  preach  Welsh  in  Dyffryn  Mawr, 
about  fifteen  miles  from  Philadelphia.  Elder  Jenkins 
died  in  1841,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six.  About 
eight  miles  from  Norristown  was  aWelsh  Presbyterian 
Church ;  and  Hilltown  has  in  lively  and  loving  memory 
the  services  of  Father  Thomas  and  his  successors. 

The  renowned  historian,  Dr.  Benedict,  says:  "Mul- 
titudes of  emigrants  came  to>  this  country  from  that 
Principality,  and  many  of  our  American  churches  were 
founded  either  wholly  or  in  part  by  these  immigrants. 
Wales  has  also  supplied  the  American  churches  with 
many  useful  ministers."  (Volume  I,,  p.  229).  "The 
influence  which  the  Welsh  Baptists  have  exerted  upon 
the  religious  thought  and  life  of  this  country  demands 
recognition," — Dr.  Cathcart.  As  a  pioneer,  "Father 
Thomas"  of  Hilltown,  Bucks  County,  Pa.,  deserves 
special  mention.  He  was  born  in  Llanwenarth  in 
1678,  was  fairly  well  educated,  became  a  mighty  man 
here.  Much  could  be  written  of  him*  but  we  refer  the 
reader  to  interesting  articles  by  the  Rev.  J.  T.  Griffiths, 
now  of  Lansford,  Pa.,  (see  "The  Cambrian,"  Vol.  II., 
Xos.  2  and  3), and  to  Matthews'  history  of  "TheThom- 


76  Welshmen  as  l:actoi's 

as  Family."  The  parents  of  Iverson  Lewis  emigrated 
from  Wales,  County  of  Brecknock,  in  1693.  They 
settled  in  Virginia.  Elder  Lewis  was  born  in  1741. 
From  1/70  he  was  a  useful  Christian  and  a  faithful 
Christian  minister.  He  travelled  far  and  wide  in  the 
interests  of  the  gospel  and  of  good  morals. 

Recently  Dr.  J.  Wright  of  New  York,  issued  from 
the  press  a  volume  entitled.  "Early  Bible  in  America." 
Whether  the  Eliot  Bible,  printed  in  1661-3,  had  any 
marked  moral  force,  we  do  not  know;  but  the  many 
Welsh  Bibles  brought  with  this  nationality  across  the 
Atlantic  did  certainly  prove  a  blessing  to  our  Repub- 
lic. That  these  were  neither  few  nor  unusual  is  evi- 
denced by  the  fact  that  Rev.  Abel  Morgan's  "Con- 
cordance" (Welsh)  was  in  demand  here.  The  late  Dr. 
Chidlaw  prided  himself  on  having  a  copy  of  this 
work.  Moreover  it  was  known  that  Morgan's  trans- 
lation of  the  Century  Confession,  dated  1716,  had  the 
signatures  of  122  members  of  the  Welsh  Tract  Church 
attached  thereto.  Up  to  1732,  the  records  of  this 
church  were  kept  in  the  Welsh  language.  As  early 
as  1706,  Rev.  Richard  Miles  of  Radnor  was  called  to 
settle  disputes  which  had  arisen  in  the  Pennepec 
Church;  and  a  native  of  Wales,  David  Davies,  was  or- 
dained here  in  1734,  and  continued  its  pastor  until 
1769.  Richard  Miles  brought  with  him  a  large  Beza 
Family  Bible,  which  after  his  death  was  owned  by  his 
son-in-law,  Rev.  Benjamin  (Jriffiths,  and  again  by  his 


in  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  77 

son,  Rev.  Abel  Griffiths.  It  was  a  precious  heirloom, 
and  was  still  owned  by  the  descendants  of  Richard 
Miles,  until,  some  years  ago,  it  was  presented  to  the 
library  of  Bucknell  University,  Pennsylvania,  where  it 
may  be  seen. 

"Formative"  indeed  was  that  notable  boc1y  known 
as  "The  Emigrant  Church,"  sixteen  in  number,  that 
sailed  from  Alilford  Haven  in  June,  1701.  They  ar- 
rived in  Philadelphia  on  the  8th  of  September  follow- 
ing. These  sixteen,  with  their  pastor  Rev.  Thomas 
Griffiths,  first  settled  near  their  brethren  at  Pennepcc. 
Ihey,  and  others  of  like  faith,  went  to  Delaware,  then 
known  as  Radnor  County.  This  locality  formed  the 
noted  "Welsh  Tract,"  so  named  by  Owen  Rowland, 
who  came  from  Wales  in  1725.  About  fifty  families  of 
this  nationality  had  purchased  these  lands  of  Doctor 
Thomas  Wynne  and  John  Ap  John,  who  never  came 
to  this  country,  but  was  a  joint  owner  of  this  5,000 
acre  tract.  Doctor  Levick  in  a  recent  article,  to 
which  reference  has  been  made,  finds  a  "Record  of 
release  of  William  Penn,  Esq.,  to^  John  Ap  John  et  al," 
bearing  date  September  15,  1681,  for  said  land.  The 
building  at  Pcncader  was  put  up  in  1716.  Benedict 
relates  that  "The  pulpit  of  this  church  was  filled  with 
great  and  good  men  from  Wales  for  about  70  years." 

Leaving,  for  the  present,  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
Philadelphia,  we  turn  to  parts  adjacent  or  not  far  dis- 
tant, replete  with  historic  interest  to  us.  There  is 


78  Welshmen  as  Factors 

"The  Great  Valley*  Church,"  about  sixteen  miles  west 
of  the  city,  a  church  dating  back  in  1711.  Hugh  Da- 
vies,  its  first  pastor,  came  from  Wales  as  did  also  his 
successor,  John  Davies.  Subsequently  this  church  had 
the  services  of  David  Jones  and  Thomas  Roberts,  and 
John  T.  Jenkins.  The  Montgomery  Church  was 
Welsh  at  the  first,  dialed  1719.  Its  pastor,  Benjamin 
Griffiths,  was  a  native  of  Cardiganshire,  South  Wales, 
and  his  successor  John  Thomas,  a  native  of  Radnor, 
Wales.  The  first  settlers  of  the  Baptist  Church  here 
were  John  Evans,  and  Sarah,  his  wife,  1710.  Rev.  Abel 
Morgan  occasionally  preached  at  their  house.  The 
New  Britain  Church  was  organized  in  1754,  having 
been  a  branch  of  the  Montgomery  Church  up  to  that 
date.  The  first  pastor,  Joseph  Eaton,  was  a  native  of 
Wales,  so  was  its  second  pastor,  William  Davies,  and 
also  its  third  pastor,  Joseph  Jones.  (See  Benedict's 
History  of  the  Baptists). 

In   1707  came  the  Rev.   Owen  Thomas,   Cilman- 
llwyd,  Pembrokeshire,  who  was  a  valuable  factor  here 

*  After  long  and  longing  desire  I  finally  found  opportunity  to  visit  this 
hallowed  snot  and  the  adjacent  neighborhood.  The  old  tombstone  here 
and  at  the  Presbyterian,  the  St.  David's  (Episcopalian*),  and  the  Radnor 
(Baptist)  burving  places  have  manv  Welsh  names.  The  carefullv  preserv- 
ed records  of  the  Great  Valley  Church  were  perused,  and  the  facts  noted 
down.  Prior  to  1711,  religious  services  were  held  at  the  residences  of 
James  Davies,  Great  Valley,  and  Richard  Miles,  Radnor.  This  Miles,  a 
great  Uncle  of  Col.  Sam  Miles,  came  hither  in  1^82.  a  fellow  passenger  with 
William  Penn.  The  earl  v  ministry  pf  Great  Vallev  was  in  Welsh,  and 
the  church  letter  sent  to  the  association,  meeting  in  Philadelphia,  1736,  was 
written  in  that  language.  So  well  preserved  is  it  that  I  read  it  all,  and  I 
also  read  Welsh  "letters  of  Dismission  to  Dyffryn  Mawr."  Over  against 
sixty  or  more  names,  in  the  old  church  book,  we  read,  "  By  letter  from 
Wales."  Of  the  patriotic  service  of  this  body  and  its  renowned  pastor, 
Rev.  David  Jones,  more  ample  notice  will  be  found  in  this  essav. 


Ill  the  Formation  of  the  Republic,  79 

for  over  half  a  century.  In  the  vicinity  of  Chadd's 
Ford,  there  had  been  persons  of  this  faith,  and  of 
Welsh  nationality  ever  since  1699,  e.  g.,  Thomas  Pow- 
ell, William  Thomas,  James  Phillips,  Samuel  Miles, 
Edward  Edwards  and  others.  This  earlier  fellowship 
was  resuscitated  by  the  frequent  visits  of  Abel  Morgan 
in  1715;  and,  assisted  by  Joseph  Eaton  of  the  Welsh 
Tract  Church,  the  Brandywine  Church  in  that  vicin- 
ity was  organized  at  the  house  of  John  Powell.  This 
Powell  was  the  father  of  another  Powell,  who  distin- 
guished himself  in  the  Revolutionary  times  not  only 
as  a  soldier  but  as  a  poet.  In  1776  he  thus  sings  of 
the  onset, 

•  'Ten  thousand  troops  we  hear,  there  are, 
Now  landed  on  our  shore." 

Of  the  Declaration  of  America  he  sings  on  this  wise : 

"They  quickly  said,  'We  will  be  free,' 
Through  all  the  world  say  nay, 
And  have  proclaimed  this  day  to  be, 
An  Independence  Day." 

This  song  of  freedom  has  twenty-nine  stanzas.  It  is 
aflame  with  love  of  country,  and  as  we  read  the  M.  S. 
— never  published,  we  seemed  to  catch  the  fire  thereof. 
_  In  1712,  Rev.  Xathaniel  Jenkins  settled  at  Cape 
May,  X.  J.,  born  in  Wales  1678.  When  a  member  of 
the  Colonial  Legislature  of  that  State  in  1721,  a  bill 
was  pending  "To  punish  all  who  denied  the  Trinity, 
Christ's  divinity,  and  the  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures." 


8o  Welshmen  as  Factors 

This  bill  he  strenuously  opposed,  and  effectually  de- 
feated. When  the  fight  for  civil  liberty  was  on.  Rev. 
Samuel  Jones,  Philadelphia,  was  commissioned  to 
plead  before  Congress,  that  the  civil  magistracy  "had 
no  right  to  interpose  its  authority  touching  questions 
of  religious  belief."  In  his  centennary  sermon,  the 
good  doctor  referred  to  this,  saying,  "It  seemed  un- 
reasonable to  us,  that  we  should  be  called  upon  to 
stand  up  with  them  in  defence  of  liberty  if,  after  all,  it 
was  to  be  the  liberty  for  one  party  to  oppress  another." 

We  might  be  led  to  appreciate  such  a  factor,  when 
we  recall  the  fact  that  not  until  very  recently,  and  as 
the  result  of  the  new  Constitution  adopted  in  1889,  did 
Japan  grant  to  its  people  this  unspeakable  boon  of 
Religious  Liberty.  To  all  right-thinking  people,  of 
whatever  religious  persuasion  they  may  be,  it  must 
seem  a  gracious  providence  that  now,  after  so  many 
centuries  of  oppression,  it  has  become  the  privilege  of 
our  Government  to  extend  to  Cuba  and  Porto<  Rico, 
and  the  far  distant  Philippines  such  conditions  as  for- 
bid "One  party  to  oppress  another,"  and  the  civil 
magistracy  ''To  interpose  its  authority  touching  ques- 
tions of  religious  belief." 

"Down  South"  we  have  traces  of  many  Welsh 
settlers  in  early  times.  Rev.  Goronwy  Owen,  son  of 
Owen  Goronwy,  and  Sian  Parri,  was  born  at  Llanfair, 
North  Wrales,  in  1722.  Educated  at  Oxford,  he  was  in 
1757  appointed  professor  in  William  and  Mary  Col- 


WILLIAM  E.  POWELL. 


//;  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  8[ 

lege,  \  a.  An  interesting  article  in  the  "Columbia" 
March  loth.  1892,  from  the  pen  of  \Yhvte  Glendower 
Owen,  M.  D.,  a  grandson  of  the  famous  clergyman 
named,  traces  the  history  of  the  family  and  descend- 
ants of  the  renowned  poet-preacher.  His  fame  as  a 
poet  is  well  set  forth  by  an  article  printed  in  "The 
Press"  (Y  Wasg),  Vol.  XL,  Xo.  39.  Therein  may  be 
found  an  interesting  letter  by  Goronwy's  bardic  in- 
structor, Lewis  Morns,  i.  e.,  Llewelyn  Ddu  o<  Fon. 
He  says,  "His  'Cywycld  y  Farn'  is  the  best  thing  I 
ever  read  in  the  Welsh."  The  letter  was  sent  to  Rev. 
E.  Evans  (leuan  Brydydd  Hir).  It  is  stated  that  a 
registry  book,  still  preserved  in  this  William  and  Mary 
College,  contains  a  fact  of  great  significance  in  the  line 
of  our  investigation,  viz.,  that  between  the  years  1620 
and  1640  "Over  forty  thousand  Welsh"  had  settled 
in  Delaware,  Maryland,  Virginia,  and  the  Carolinas. 
The  famous — the  eagle-eyed  Gwilym  Eryri  says  that 
on  the  wall  of  an  ancient  church  in  Roanoke,  Va.,  is 
recorded  a  statement  of  a  numerous  Welsh  settlement 
there,  in  the  years  long  ago,  two  thousand  strong. 

In  the  records  of  the  Great  Valley  Church  (B.)  the 
historian-preacher.  Rev.  John  Davis,  makes  this  note: 
"James  James,  a  ruling  elder  of  the  Welsh  Tract 
Church,  led  a  colony  of  emigrants  from  the  Welsh 
Tract  to  South  Carolina.  This  resulted  in  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Welsh  Xeck  Baptist  Church."  In  1738 
this  church  had  nearly  a  hundred  members  reported  to 


82  Welshmen  as  ]' actors 

Charleston  Association.  Mr.  Davis  further  states  that 
when  he  wrote  in  1742,  "descendants  of  the  Welsh 
members  were  numbered  by  hundreds  of  thousands, 
scattered  over  the  entire  country."  Richard  Jones 
was  preaching  at  Bur  ley,  Va.,  as  early  as  1727.  Vir- 
ginia ministers  of  Welsh  name  were  noted  for  unfalter- 
ing devotion  to  civil  and  religious  freedom.  Their  as- 
piration after  liberty,  stimulated  by  these  revolutionary 
times,  became  an  all-controlling  passion.  Such  men 
as  Father  Harris  and  Elnathan  Davis,  and  Elder  John 
Williams  (Chaplain  Williams),  and  John  Jenkins,  a 
United  States  Commissary  during  the  war,  and  Ivor- 
son  Lewis,  whose  parents  came  to  Virginia  in  1693 
from  Brecknockshire,  Wales,  with  many  others,  will 
not  be  forgotten. 

In  1725,  Rev.  Richard  Jones  was  pastor  of  a  Baptist 
church  in  Virginia,  and  Rev.  Caleb  Evans,  who  died 
1772,  in  Charleston,  S.  C.,  had  come  from  Pcntref 
Newydd,  Breconshire,  Wales.  Norfolk,  Va.,  was 
favored  with  the  ministry  of  "One  of  the  earliest  and 
most  active  preachers  in  America,  connected  with  the 
M.  E.  Church,  Rev.  Robert  Williams,"  He  came  to 
this  country  in  1769.  In  1773  the  Methodist  Confer- 
ence appointed  him  to  Petersburg,  where,  after  two 
years  labor,  lie  died.  Bishop  Ashbury  speaks  of  Wil- 
liams in  the  highest  possible  terms.  In  1783,  Rev.  Jo- 
seph Morris  was  pastor  of  the  Methodist  Church  in 
Norfolk. 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  83 

The  Williams  just  referred  to  was  an  honor  to  his 
calling-,  as  a  Christian  minister,  and  to  the  country 
from  which  he  emigrated.  He  was  the  first  M.  E. 
preacher  that  ever  visited  Norfolk,  and  within  three 
years  after  his  arrival  here,  we  find  him  drawing 
large  audiences  to  listen  to  his  preaching  from  the 
doorsteps  of  the  Court  House  in  that  city. 

In  the  "Old  Dominion"  there  was  a  remarkable  man, 
Rev.  Samuel  Harris,  sometimes  called  "The  Apostle  of 
Virginia,  "  and  again  "Colonel  Harris."  His  pulpit 
power  was  of  the  Whitfield  type,  and  he  "went  every- 
where preaching  the  word."  He  was  ordained  in  1769, 
but  prior  to  ordination  he  had  for  years  been  an  ac- 
ceptable preacher.  He  was  baptized  in  1758.  As 
Colonel  of  the  State  Militia,  as  member  of  the  State 
Legislature,  as  Judge  of  the  Courts,  this  many-sided 
man  of  Welsh  blood  was  highly  esteemed  in  his  day. 

An  interesting  and  instructive  work  was  -published 
by  Rev.  J.  B.  Taylor,  D.  D.,  in  two  volumes,  giving 
"Sketches  of  Virginia  Baptist  Ministers."  In  the  In- 
trodiiction  to  the  third  and  enlarged  edition  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Jeter  remarks:  "The  early  Baptist  ministers  of  this 
State  were  a  remarkable  set  of  mien.  They  were  raised 
by  providence  to  accomplish  a  great  work.  These 
men  deserve  the  commendation  of  mankind.  They 
were  unfaltering  friends  of  civil  and  religious  freedom. 
*  *  *  The  aspiration  after  liberty,  stimulated  in 
the  revolutionary  times  into  a  controlling  passion, 


84  Welshmen  as  Factors 

coinlcl  not  be  satisfied  until  the  religious  shackles,  im- 
posed by  an  arrogant  hierarchy,  were  broken  off." 
In  the  "First  Series"  of  these  Virginia  preachers  we 
find  Noah  Davis,  Samuel  Harris,  John  Jenkins,  Ivor- 
son  Lewis,  Williami  Richards,  Benjamin  Watkins,  and 
John  Williams.  In  the  "Second  Series"  we  have  Jesse 
Davies,  John  Davies,  M.  L.  Jones,  Scervant  Jones,  A. 
M.  Lewis,  Charles  A.  Lewis  and  George  H.  Reynolds. 
Dr.  Taylor  informs  us  that  "the  famous  Elnathan  Da- 
vies  was  ordained  by  Father  Harris  in  1764,  and  was 
for  thirty-four  years  a  useful  minister  with  the  Bap- 
tists in  North  Carolina."  In  1798  he  removed  to 
South  Carolina,  and  joined  the  Saluda  Association. 

We  saw  that  in  1737  thieve  was  an  'exodus  from  the 
Welsh  Tract  to  South  Carolina.  These  formed  the 
Welsh  Neck  (B.)  Church,  to  which  the  following  ad- 
ministered: Revs.  Joshua  Edwards,  a  native  of  Pem- 
brokeshire, Wales ;  Robert  Williams,  ordained  at 
Welsh  Neck  in  1752,  the  grandfather  of  Hon.  David 
R.  Williams  of  South  Carolina.  Benedict  observes 
that  this  company  "Laid  a  foundation  for  a  permanent 
and  highly  respectable  community,  which  branched 
out  in  different  directions,  and  naturally  gathered 
around  it  the  new  comers  who  were  attracted  to  them 
by  affinities  of  national  character  and  language." 

About  seventy  miles  southwest  from  Philadelphia, 
was  the  Bryn  Seion  (Moumt  Zion)  Church  of  the  Con- 


In  the  Format  ion  of  the  Republic.  85 

gregationalists  and  Presbyterians.  The  Rev.  Thomas 
Evans  was  pastor  here,  and  again  Rev.  Rees  Lewis. 
There  was  a  brick  building  erected  in  1771,  but  as 
early  as  1747  the  first  house  was  built.  There  were 
some  Welsh  Baptists,  here;  Benedict  mentions  after 
Morgan  Edwards,  the  following — David  Evans,  Evan 
Rees,  David  Rees,  James  Howell,  Evan  David  Hugh, 
Joshua  Edwards,  and  others.  We  have  also  in  a  list 
of  preachers  of  this  faith,  Revs.  Hugh  Davis,  1735; 
David  Davis,  1737;  Griffith  Jones  and  James  Jones, 
'1749.  The  Baptists  who  settled  in  Duck  Creek  had 
their  membership  in  the  Welsh  Tract  Church.  In 
1766,  Rev.  William.  Davis  settled  here  from  New 
Britain.  This  branch  church  of  the  Welsh  Tract  be- 
came a  separate  organization  in  1781.  The  first  Bap- 
tist preachers  in  Wilmington,  Del.,  went  there  occa- 
sionally, from  the  year  1769;  but  it  was  not  until  the 
coming  of  Rev.  Phillip  Hughes,  1784,  that  a  church 
organization  became  possible.  In  1785  Abel  Griffith 
was  there  with  others  to  give  the  hand  of  fellowship. 
In  Iron  Hill,  men  of  this  nationality  built  a  meeting- 
house at  an  early  day.  It  occupied  the  site  on  which 
stood  the  edifice  of  1746. 

In  the  recently  published  "History  of  the  First  Bap- 
tist Church  of  Reading,  Pa.,"  Mr.  Andrew  Shaaber 
makes  the  following  remarks:  "The  exact  time  of  the 
arrival  of  the  \Velsh  on  the  west  side  of  the  river,  op- 
posite the  present  City  of  Reading,  is  not  known.  It 


86  Welshmen  as  Factors 

was  probably  a  little  before  1730.  In  one  of  the  grave 
yards  of  this  Tulpehocken  Baptist  Church,  the  earliest 
tombstone  inscriptions  are  dated  1730  and  1734. 

These  Baptist  people  owned  the  greater  part  of  the 
land  on  the  west  side  of  the  Schuylkill.  from  near  the 
present  Lebanon  Valley  R.  R.  bridge,  to  some  distance 
below  the  Bingaman  Street  bridge. 

They  were  members  of  the  Great  Valley  Church  in 
Chester  County,  and  of  the  Montgomery  Church  in 
Montgomery  County,  and  being  so  far  removed  from 
their  church  homes  as  to  be  unable  to  attend  service 
there,  they  held  meetings  in  their  dwelling  houses,  and 
in  the  groves,  "God's  first  temples." 

The  Tulpehocken  Baptist  Church  was  constituted 
August  19,  1738,  with  twenty-one  members.  Their 
first  meeting  house  was  built  about  this  time,  or,  more 
likely,  several  years  before  the  church  was  constituted, 
as  it  was  called  the  'old  meeting-house,'  in  contra- 
distinction to  one  built  in  1740.  It  was  situated  on  the 
bank  of  the  Wyomissing  creek,  about  two  miles  west 
of  the  Schuylkill  River,  a  tract  of  three  acres  having 
been  given  for  the  use  of  the  church,  by  Hugh  Morris, 
Evan  Lloyd  and  Evan  Price.  The  burial  ground  on 
the  same  tract  had  already  been  in  use  eight  or  ten- 
years.  This  was  the  first  house  of  worship  of  any 
denomination  that  had  been  erected  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  plot  upon  which  the  town  of  Reading  was  laid  out 
in  1748. 


///  ///c  Format  ion  of  the  Republic.  87 

The  pastor  of  the  church  was  Thomas  Jones,  born 
in  AYales  in  1/03,  and  ordained  at  Tnlpehocken  in 
1740.  (This  was  Dr.  S.  Jones'  father).  He  removed 
from  Tulpehocken  to  Chester  County  about  1763.  but 
afterward  returned  again  for  a  while. 

A  son.  named  Thomas,  prominent  in  county  and 
revolutionary  affairs,  continued  to  reside  some  dis- 
tance west  of  Sinking  Spring,  until  the  time  of  his 
death  in  1800.  He  was  the  last  member  of  the  Tulpe- 
hocken Church,  and  is  buried  in  the  graveyard  at 
Sinking  Spring."  Another  son  was  the  renowned 
Rev.  Samuel  Jones,  D.  D. 

One  of  the  most  celebrated  "men  of  the  period"  was 
Rev.  Abel  Morgan,  Middietown,  N.  J.  He  was  a  son  of 
Enoch  Morgan,  Welsh  Tract,  and  a  nephew,  of  Rev. 
Abel  Morgan,  Philadelphia.  Both  came  from  \Yales; 
the  uncle  was  a  great  man.  and  this  nephew  followed 
in  his  footsteps;  a  graduate  of  Pencader  Academy,  he 
settled  in  Middletown  in  1739.  and  continued  in  this 
church  until  his  death  in  1785.*  Dr.  S.  Jones  in  his 
"Century  sermon"  referred  to  him  as  "The  incompar- 
able Morgan,"  and  Morgan  Edwards  paid  him  this 
high  compliment,  "A  Bible  Divine!"  He  died  in  his 
seventy-third  year,  having  well  served  his  country  and 
his  church,  his  age  and  his  God.  One  incident  we 

*  The  late  Hon.  Horatio  Gates  Jones,  of  Philadelphia,  assured  us  that 
during  his  ministry,  Morgans  preached  over  5,000  sermons.  He  also  stat- 
ed that  this  Abel  was  own  cousin  to  the  famous  Chaplain  Jones,  of  Great 
Valley,  and  that  he  studied  divinity  under  him.  Congenial  spirits 
were  these  cousins. 


88  Welshmen  as  Factors 

must  here  relate.  After  the  famous  battle  of  Mon- 
niotith,  whilst  the  royal  troops  were  on  the  ground, 
he  displeased  them  greatly  by  the  outspoken  words 
he  uttered  from  the  text,  "Who  gave  Jacob  for  spoil, 
and  Israel  to  the  robbers?"  The  week  following  they 
robbed  him  of  his  church  edifice,  so  that  he  had  to 
preach  in  his  "barn."  He  was  a  great  friend  of  educa- 
tion, and  took  a  lively  interest  in  the  Rhode  Island 
college  movement.  Not  without  good  reason  does 
his  tombstone  proclaim  his  praise  in  the  words  of 
Scripture,  "He  was  a  burning  and  a  shining  light." 


CHAPTER  II. 


FACTORS  OF  SPECIAL   FORCEFULNESS    AND  EFFICIENCY. 

"No  man  has  come  to  true  greatness  who  has  not  felt  in  some 
degree  that  his  life  belongs  to  his  race,  and  that  what  God 
gives  him,  He  gives  him  for  mankind." — Phillips  Brooks. 

"All  history  becomes  subjective;  in  other  words,  there  is 
properly  no  history,  only  biography.  *  *  *  Then  at  once 
history  becomes  fluid  and  true,  and  biography  deep  and  sub- 
lime."— R.  Waldo  Emerson. 


ERTAIX  men  stand  forth  in  historic  prominence 
just  as  great  mountains  do  in  God's  world;  these 
are  grandly  "Exalted  above  the  hills."  The  names 
of  Williams,  Perm,  Adams  and  Jefferson  are  thus 
marked.  We  must,  in  brief,  repeat  the  story  of  these 
doers  and  their  deeds.  The  reader  will  expect  this, 
and  the  service  is  pleasing  to  the  writer  of  this  essay. 
Should  it  seem  that  '''William  Penn"is  too  enthusiastic 
in  his  admiration  of  the  Special  Factors,  it  is  his  busi- 
ness to  call  up  at  this  time,  be  it  so.  He  has  no  desire 
to  conceal  the  ardent  interest  he  feels  in  this  theme. 
Were  he  destitute  of  enthusiasm  he  could  not  have 
been  held  to  the  patient  and  painstaking  and  protrac- 
ted labor  demanded  by  his  subject.  He  "counted 
the  cost,"  and  determined,  at  least,  to  gratify  his  de- 
sire to  know  more  about  "Welshmen  as  Factors," 
regardless  of  the  fate  that  misrht  befall  his  work. 


9o      \  Welshmen  as  Factors 

ROGER  WILLIAMS. 

The  citizens  of  Providence  and  of  Rhode  Island 
Avere  pleased  to  mark  the  'Two  hundred  and  fiftieth 
anniversary"  of  the  founding1  of  that  city,  June,  1886. 
It  was  a  memorable  occasion.  There  were  present  a 
large  number  of  the  descendants  of  Roger  Williams.* 

Professor  Alonzo  Williams,  of  I'rown  University, 
gave  an  address  on  Roger  Williams,  as  a  ''Scholar 
and  Literary  Man,"  and  James  Wilmarth  Williams 
spoke  on  "Roger  Williams  and  the  Indians."  The 
celebration  took  two  days. 

Souther's  estimate  of  Roger  Williams  was  not  ex- 
travagant, "One  of  the  best  men  that  ever  set  foot  in 
this  new  world."  We  do  not  claim  that  he  was  fault- 
less; "the  faultless  are  before  the  throne"  in  heaven, 
they  are  not  found  on  earth.  "He  had  the  defects  of 
his  race,  the  hot  Welsh  temper,  passionate  and  resent- 
ful under  provocation,"  said  Hon.  T  Durfee.  He 
adds,  "The  new  churches  of  the  Bay  were  both  bigot- 
ted  and  ambitious.  They  had  established  a  sacra- 
nDentalism  more  meddlesome,  and  scarcelv  less  de- 


*  There  ought  to  be  no  shadow  of  doubt  concerning  the  nationality  of 
Roger  Williams.  Whether  born  in  Wales  or  in  Cornwall,  we  care  no't  to 
discuss;  we  remember  what  Palgrave  wrote  (Hist,  of  Anglo-Saxons.  Ch. 
xi),  that  "Devon  and  Cornwall  were  called  by  the  Saxons  West  Wales," 
and  also  what  Theophilus  Evans  affirmed,  that  in  his  day,  1716,  the  Welsh 
language  was  still  used  in  "nine  or  ten  parishes  of  Cornwall."  (Drych  y 
Prif  Oesoedd,  p.  83.)  The  recent  edition  of  the  Encyclop.  Brittanica,  says, 
"Born  of  Welsh  or  Cornish  parents."  They  might  have  been  "Welsh" 
just  as  really  in  ttoe  Cornwall  of  that  day,  as  if  they  lived  in  the  parish  of 
Gynwil  Caio,  South  Wales.  Dr.  Vaughn  writes,  '"Cornwall,  where  the 
old  Celtic  tongue  has  been  the  vernacular  language  of  a  portion  of  the 
inhabitants  almost  to  our  day."  (Revolution  of  Races  in  English  History, 
p.  162.)  "Roger  Williams,  born  in  Wales  1599."  (Johnson's  Kncycolpedia.) 


//;  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  91 

spotic  than  the  worst  in  Christendom.  They  wanted 
to  consolidate  and  extend  it.  They  had  hitherto  met 
no  opposition ;  but  in  \Yilliams  they  found  an  original 
and  independent  mind,  intractable  to  their  yoke. 
The  elders  of  the  Bay  accustomed  to  a  submissive 
deference  from  their  juniors  were  thunderstruck  by  it, 
and  never  forgot  or  forgave  it.  *  *  The  histor- 

ians urge  further  that  he  was  eccentric,  pugnacious, 
persistent,  troublesome.  Undoubtedly  he  was  * 
\Yilliams  had  his  faults,  but  some  of  them  under  the 
circumstances,  did  the  work  of  virtues.  A  man  who 
had  to  endure  what  he  had  to  endure  from  the  Puritan 
clergymen  and  elders,  laboring  to  reduce  him  from  his 
errors,  was  entitled  to  have  some  faults.  The  faults 
which  he  had  have  been  grossly  exaggerated." 

General  Butler  is  said  to  have  been  of  Welsh  blood. 
Be  that  true  or  false,  he  made  a  wild  and  unwarrant- 
able statement  with  reference  to  this  man  and  his  fol- 
lowers, affirming  that  "They  differed  from  the  Puri- 
tans on  little  else  than  the  question  whether  the  use 
of  any  considerable  water  was  necessary  fully  to  con- 
vert a  confessed  sinner  into  a  Christian,  and  continue 
him  a  member  of  the  church  of  God."  He  claims  that 
in  Williams'  day.  New  Hampshire  was  the  home  of 
religious  liberty.  (Butler's  Book,  Ch.  L).  There 
are  two  facts  which  controvert  the  General's  asser- 
tion. One  is.  that  during  Roger  Williams'  time,  and 
later  for  forty  years,  there  was  no  "Xew  Hampshire" 


92  Welshmen  as  Factors 

apart  from  Massachusetts;     the    other,  that   Rhode 
Island  was  called  "The  Anti-Puritan  State,"  for  the 
reason  that  it  was  a  "sort  of  Liberty  Hall  as  contrasted 
with    Massachusetts."     This    colony    placed    "things 
temporal,"   and   "matters   spiritual"   on   grounds   en- 
tirely distinct  and  separate.     Providence  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  orthodox  religious  creed  of  a  citizen, 
but  was  pledged  to  grant    him:  full    liberty  of     con- 
science.     For  well-nigh   half  a   century   did   the   re- 
nowned Welshman  labor  to  instill  this  principle  into 
life,  history  and  government !    This  was  his  glory  and 
crown.     Whatever  other  good  things  he  did,  this  was 
the  brightest  and  best.     Turning  to  the  "Historical 
Address"  delivered  on  the  great  occasion  referred  to, 
we  find  Hon.  Thomas  Durfee,  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  Rhode  Island,  using  these  words: 
"There  are  some  who  would  have  us  think,  that  the 
phrase  'Only  in  civil  things'  was  simply  a  lucky  hit, 
and  that  Williams  when  he  coined  it,  did  not  really 
comprehend  its  significance.    My  opinion  is  that  then, 
and  before  then,  his  doctrine  was  that  the  authority 
of  government  extends  only  to  civil  things,  and  that  lie 
had  merely  to  exchange  his  pulpit  phraseology  for  the 
plain  vernacular  of  the  people  to  make    it    manifest. 
The  man  who  packs  such  a  world  of  meaning  into  four 
little  words,  does  not  do  it  by  a  slip  of  the  pen.     He 
clearly  saw'  the  principle  and  its  universality.     * 


///  flic  Formation  of  the  Republic. 


93 


The  great  idea  first  here  politically  incorporated,  and 
shown  forth  in  lively  experiment  lias  made  the  circuit 
of  the  globe,  driving  bigotry,  like  a  mist,  and  super- 
stition like  a  shadow,  before  it!     In  1636,  Providence, 
Rhode  Island,  became  in  true  and  full  sense,  "The 
home  of  the  free."    The  Massachusetts  General  Court 
proclaimed  the  principle  untenable,  false  and  criminal. 
If  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  authorities  of  that  day 
were  against  Williams,  all  now  concede  that  he  was 
right,  and  that  they  were  wrong.     I  think  that  it  was 
his  biographer  Sparks  who  set  forth  Williams'  crime 
as  culminating  in  his  having  said  befor •  the  Court, 
that   "to  make   church   membership   a   condition    of 
voting  at  the  polls,  or  of.  fitness  for  political  office, 
was  as  ridiculous  as  the  selection  of  a  doctor  of  physic, 
or  the  pilot  of  a  boat,  on  account  of  his  skill  in  theo- 
logy."    In  the  same  line,  and  as  a  part  of  the  same 
principle,  Williams  avowed  the  obnoxious  truth,  that 
the  clergy  had  no  right  to  bring  "breaches  ~T  the  first 
table"  before  a  civil  magistrate,  except  the  civil  peace 
was  disturbed  by  such  breaches.     This,  as  the  Chief 
Justice  put  it  in  his  address,  was  "the  great  tap-root 
of  all  Williams'  offences."     And  his  "offences"  were 
punished  with  banishment,  because  Massachusetts  was 
then  "simply  an  incorporation  of  Puritan  Congrega- 
tionalism, clothed  with  civil  powers."    As  Richardson 
savs,  "For  five  vears  he  was  a  thorn  in  the  side  of  the 


94  lycishincn  as  Factors 

Colony/'   so  advanced  were  his  views.      Heaven  be 
praised  for 

"The  bright  lesson  once  taught, 

By  battles  for  conscience  in  western  wilds  fought." 

The  address  on  "Roger  Williams  and  the  Indians," 
delivered  on  the  great  occasion  referred  to.  thus 
affirms:  "Always  and  ever  he  was  unfailing  in  his  zeal 
for  the  natives.  In  the  history  of  his  connection  with 
the  Pequod  War  do  we  especially  find  the  strongest 
evidence  of  the  influence  that  lie  had  gained  over  them. 
*  *  *  It  was  but  a  few  weeks  after  his  arrival  in 
Providence,  that,  hearing  of  the  efforts  of  Me  Fequods 
to  establish  a  league  with  the  Narragansetts  for  the 
extirpation  of  the  whites,  lie  communicated  the  in- 
formation to  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts."  At 
the  request  of  those  who  had  so  recently  driven  him 
into  exile,  and  under  the  ban  of  whose  proscription  he 
still  remained,  he  undertook  the  difficult  task  of 
mediating  with  the  Narragansetts  and  foiling  the  de- 
sign of  the  Pequods.  The  circumstances  are  given  by 
the  late  lamented' Lossing  on  this  wise.  The  Pequod 
Indians  were  bent  on  exterminating  the  whites,  and 
for  this  purpose  they  sought  the  aid  of  the  Narragan- 
sett  Indians.  Williams  was  at  that  time,  1636,  "A 
friendly  resident  in  the  country  of  the  Xarragansetts," 
and  heard  of  the  proposed  alliance.  What  did  he  do? 
He  induced  the  Xarragansetts  to  renew  hostilities 
against  the  Pequods,  and  by  so  doing  these  infant  set- 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  95 

tlements  were  "saved  from  destruction."  At  great 
personal  risk  and  peril  this  was  successfully  accom- 
plished. Well  did  Prof.  Gammell  write,  ''Seldom  does 
the  page  of  history  glow  with  a  brighter  illustration  of 
the  spirit  of  Christian  magnanimity  and  forgiveness, 
than  is  presented  in  the  conduct  of  Roger  Williams 
toward  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts  in  this  war." 
But  for  this  spirit,  he  might  have  fanned  the  flame  of 
war,  and  seen  the  end  of  those  who  had  treated  him 
so  cruelly  and  unjustly.  In  that  case,  he  and  his 
friends  might  have  dwelt  secure,  as  the}-  would  be  the 
sole  white  inhabitants  allowed  to  remain  alive.  The 
Rhode  Island  province  was  ceded  to  Williams  by  tl:e 
Indians,  out  of  the  fullest  good-will  towards  him;  the 
other  colonies  were  stolen  from  the  aboriginies  by 
force  of  arms. 

The  mighty  pen  of  "the  redoubtable"  Williams  has 
been  compared  to  the  sword  of  Ajax;  and  its  service 
to  the  cause  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  is  beyond 
Computation.  Magnificent  copies  of  his  voluminous 
books  adorn  the  library  of  Brown  University.  What 
Prof  Williams  has  denominated  "the  logic  and  fury  of 
his  tremendous  faith,"  made  the  writings  of  Roger 
Williams  as  potent  as  his  deeds  of  daring  and  his  acts 
of  faith.  "Xo  American  ever  wrote  more  boldly  or 
truthfully,"  says  C.  F.  Richardson.  Much  of  what  has 
been  published  was  written  under  the  most  advert 
and  unfavorable  circumstances,  on  the  stormv  Atlan- 


96 


ll'dsliincn  as  Factors 


tic,  and  on  fatiguing  journeys;  and,  on  this  account, 
there  may  be  wanting  that  finished  style  some  readers 
constantly  desire;  but  the  man  is  properly  placed  in 
the  front  rank  of  eminent  New  England  Colonists  as 
a  "scholar  and  literary  man."  And  yet  so  inveterate 
was  the  enmity  of  the  authorities  in  Massachusetts 
against  this  man,  that  he  \vas  treated  as  an  outlaw, 
ever  liable  to  arrest  and  punishment.  When  he  would 
visit  England  he  had  to  go  by  way  of  New  Amster- 
dam, i.  e.,  New  York,  and  across  the  Atlantic  under 
a  Dutch  flag;  he  dared  not  show  himself  in  the  port  of 
Boston.  Take  this  famous  Welshman  and  mark  all 
that  he  achieved,  as  a  "Factor  in  the  formation  and 
development"  of  the  liberties,  civil  and  political,  and 
religio'ivs, — which  make  this  Republic  so  glorious, 
and  we  hesitate  not  to  award  him  the  honor  of  being 
what  Sou  they  styled  him,  and  he  was  no  "Anglo- 
American."  Disraeli  was  incorrect,  he  should  have 
written  Cambro-American.  It  was  well  said,  "Before 
the  Revolution.,  Rhode  Island  \vas  the  freest  Colony  in 
North  America.  Her  founder  Kd  made  her  a  real 
Republic,  while  under  the  nominal  rule  of  a  king." 
(Cathcart).  The  people  of  Rhode  Island  "enjoyed  a 
form  of  government  so  thoroughly  Republican,  that 
independence  of  monarchy,  in  May,  1776,  required  no 
change  beyond  a  renunciation  of  the  king's  name  in 
the  style  of  public  acts."  (Bancroft's  U.  S.  History, 
Vol.  IX.,  p.  261).  Our  Republic  is  to-day  what  Rhode 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  97 

Island  was.  In  embryo  and  promise  we  lived  there 
two  and  a  half  centuries  ago!  Professor  Masson  de- 
scribes the  civic  part  of  Williams's  life-work  as  "the 
organization  of  a  community  on  the  unheard-of  prin- 
ciple of  absolute  religious  liberty  combined  with  per- 
fect civic  democracy." 

Little  Rhody  became  the  type  after  which  this  great 
Republic  was  subsequently  fashioned.  In  the  notor- 
ious "Model  Government"  drafted  for  ISTorth  Carolina, 
by  no  less  brainy  an  author  than  that  John  Locke,  the 
franchise  was  made  to  depend  on  wealth,  not  personal 
right,  and  the  rulers  were  placed  "beyond  the  reach  of 
the  people."  How  essentially  different  was  this  from 
the  plan  of  government  that  Williams  and  his  co- 
adjutors proposed  and  adopted.  In  Massachusetts,  by 
a  law  passed  in  1631,  the  very  year  of  Williams'  ar- 
rival, it  was  enacted  that  none  but  members  of  the 
church  be  permitted  to  vote  at  the  Colonial  elections. 
"The  choice  of  Governor,  Deputy-Governor,  and  as- 
sistant Councillors  was  thus  placed  in  the  hands  of  a 
small  minority.  Nearly  three-fourths  of  the  people 
were  excluded  from  exercising  the  rights  of  freemen. 
*  The  only  excuse  that  can  be  found  for  the 
gross  inconsistency  and  injustice  of  such  legislation  is, 
that  bigotry  was  the  vice  of  the  age,  rather  than  of  the 
Puritans."  (Ridpath's  United  States,  Ch.  13;  again 
Law  of  1638;  as  see  Benedict's  Hist,  of  the  Baptists, 
Vol.  I.,  p.  271).  Roger  Williams'  colony  was  far  in 


<j8  Welshmen  as  Factors 

advance  of  anything  attained  unto,  even  by  so  ad- 
vanced a  man  as  John  Adams.  When  waited  upon  by 
Dr.  Samuel  Jones,  and  Rev.  Isaac  Backus,  who  peti- 
tioned the  Government  to  make  Religious  Liberty  in 
this  Republic  as  broad  and  untrammelled  as  that 
adopted  by  Roger  Williams  and  his  friends,  John 
Adams,  we  regret  to' confess,  used  this  language:  "If 
you  mean  to  affect  a  change  in  our  measures  respec- 
ting religion,  you  might  as  well  try  to  change  the 
course  of  the  sun  in  the  heavens."  (Life  and  Works  of 
John  Adams,  Vol.  II. ,  p.  339).  "Religious  freedom," 
said  Dr.  W.  R.  Williams,  New  York,  "needed  a  stal- 
wart and  sinewy  champion,  and  Roger  Williams  was 
such."  All  the  religious  toleration,  and  boasted  liber- 
ty afforded  under  the  laws  of  Maryland,  was  of  little 
value.  The  Act  of  1639  gave  to  Holy  Church  *  *  * 
al'l  her  rights;  but  a  bill  was  passed,  stating  that 
"Eating  flesh  in  time  of  Lent"  would  expose  the 
offender  to  loss  of  property.  The  Act  of  1649  made 
the  avowal  of  Christ's  divinity,  and  the  Trinitarian 
belief  obligatory.  "Hard  speeches  against  the  Trinity, 
or  any  of  the  said  three  persons  thereof,  should  be 
punished  with  death  and  confiscation  of  all  property 
to  the  Lord  proprietary."  No>  Jew,  no  Unitarian, 
could  be  a  citizen  of  that  free  (?)  Colony.  All  this  was 
but  a  repetition  of  the  former  intolerance  of  England 
and  of  Rome.  Welshmen  have  always  advocated  the 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  99 

Roger  Williams'  view  of  this  matter,  and  so  the  vic- 
tim of  Archbishop's  Laud's  tyranny  fled  to  America. 

In  his  Roger  Williams  Oration,  Prof.  Diman  ob- 
serves that  the  praise  due  to  Lord  Baltimore  for  giv- 
ing liberty  of  conscience  to  Maryland,  must  be  quali- 
fied by  the  fact  that  it  was  the  colony  of  a  Protestant 
kingdom,  wiiose  government,  of  course,  would  not 
permit  Protestant  worship  to  be  interdicted;  while  the 
founder  of  Rhode  Island  advanced  that  "all  human 
laws  prescribing  or  forbidding  rites  or  doctrines  not 
inconsistent  with  civil  peace  are  an  invasion  of  the 
divine  perogative."  Catholic  praise  to  Lord  Baltimore 
may  be  all  very  well  for  the  American  market;  but  one 
of  two  things  must  be  true;  either  he  tolerated  Pro- 
testantism because  he  could  not  do  otherwise,  or  he 
violated  the  doctrine  of  his  church,  which  forbids  it 
to  be  tolerated  by  a  Catholic  ruler  who  has  power  to 
prohibit  it. — Christian  Register. 

( )ur  (Government  is  purest  and  best  in  exact  propor- 
tion to  its  "conformity  to  type" — the  "prototype"  in 
Rhode  Island.  So  perfect  a  type  of  this  Government 
was  Rhode  Island  Colony,  that  it  had  both  Indepen- 
dent and  Federal  conditions  within  its  little  territory. 
The  oldest  sovereign  State  in  this  Union  to-day,  she 
is  also  the  smallest;  but  the  towns  of  Providence, 
Portsmouth,  Newport  and  Warwick  were  from  the 
first  so  independent  that  they  were  free  in  certain 
affairs,  and  to  a  certain  extent,  but  vet  bound  bv  a 


ioo  Welshmen  as  Factors 

"Federal  union"  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole.  Free 
Rhode  Island  was  like  "the  father  of  our  Indepen- 
dence," Thomas  Jefferson,  unfriendly  to  the  Constitu- 
tion of  our  Federal  Government,  by  reason  of  a  jealous 
fear  of  too  much  interference  with  State  Independence. 
This  was  needless  fear.  The  design  of  the  Federa,- 
tion  was  like  to  that  of  the  Rhode  Island  towns.  At 
first  they  tried  a  pure  democracy;  but,  under  the  sec- 
ond charter,  the  towns  were  "willing  to  part  with  their 
autonomy  and  become  fully  subject  to  a  central 
authority."  This  was  in  1647.  Truly  this  man  Wil- 
liams was  a  prophet  in  legislation,  and,  like  most 
prophets  of  God,  he  was  called1  to  suffer  the  common 
penalty  meted  out  to  those  who  stood  for  right,  and 
were  wont  to  rebuke  the  wrong.  Williams  fought  for 
and  founded  Religious  Liberty! 

The  author  of  the  essay  now  before  his  readers  ma}' 
be  excused  for  inserting  here  a  quotation  from  another 
essay  of  his,  successful  in  the  New  York  Eisteddfod  of 
1882,  and  published  in  "The  Cambrian,  "The  Influ- 
ence of  the  Welsh  in  the  Establishment  of  Civil  and 
Religious  Liberty  in  America." 

"As  the  herald  and  champion  of  liberties  of  the 
broadest  and  best  type  he  climbed  to  glory  by  the 
rugged  pathway  of  the  cross.  This  man  who  'per- 
secuted for  righteousness,'  left  the  old  world,  fared 
little  better  in  the  new.  The  treatment  of  this  man 
and  others,  might  justify  the  caustic  remark  of  Mark 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  101 

Twain  about  the  Pilgrim  fathers,  'That  stern  old  stock 
of  people  who  had  left  their  country  and  home  for  the 
sake  of  having-  freedom,  on  a  foreign  shore,  to  enjoy 
their  own  religion,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  prevent 
other  folks  from  enjoying  theirs.'  Xot  only 

did  the  rulers  oi  the  'Bay  Colony'  banish  the  man  who 
settled  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  but  tliey  tried 
to  shut  out  that  hated1  coil  on  y  from  the  Colonial 
Federation  of  Xew  England.  'In  truth  those  Rhode 
Island  people  grew,  from  the  beginning,  more  and 
more  intolerable  to  the  Boston  brethren.  It  was  bad 
enough  that  they  should  obstinately  maintain  the 
rights  of  independent  thought  and  private  conscience, 
it  was  unpardonable  that  they  should  assume  to  be 
none  the  less  sincere  Christians  and  good  citizens,  and 
should  succeed  in  establishing  a  government  of  their 
own  on  principles  which  the  Massachusetts  General 
Court  declared  were  criminal.'  (Bryant's  Popular 
Hist,  of  the  U.  S.,  Vol.  II.,  p.  49).  In  the  well  known 
'Blood}-  Tenent'  we  have  the  author's  conception  oi  a 
State,  and  his  answer  to  the  question  what  constitutes 
a  State?'  On  page  137  of  that  book  we  read:  'The 
Sovereign  and  original  foundation  of  civil  power  lies 
in  the  people,  and  it  is  evident  that  such  governments 
as  are  by  them  erected  and  established  have  no  more 
power,  nor  for  a  longer  time,  than  the  civil  power,  or 
the  people  consenting  and  agreeing  shall  betrust  them 
with.  This  is  clear,  not  onilv  from  reason  but  in  the 


io2  U'clsJuncn  us  I: actors 

experience  of  all  commonwealths  where  the  people  are 
not  deprived  of  their  natural  freedom  by  the  power  of 
tyrants.'  What  is  this  but  another  wording  of  the 
lamented  Abraham  Lincoln's  definition  of  what  this 
Government  is  at  its  best,  'Of  thx.  people,  by  the  peo- 
ple, for  the  people.'  If  'Welsh  influence'  in  New  Eng- 
land had  been  that  of  Williams  only,  the  nation  he 
represented  might  well  feel  proud,  and  the  nation  he 
served  might  well  feel  thankful.  But  lie  had  other 
Welshmen  as  co-workers  in  the  establishment  of  Civil 
and  Religious  Liberty.  In  the  early  Colonial  History 
of  Rhode  Island,  as  early  as  1638,  certain  of  the  in- 
habitants, among  them  Thomas  Harris,  Richard  Wil- 
liams, William  Reynolds  and  Thomas  Hopkins,  put 
their  hand  to  a  document  thus  worded:  'We  whose 
names  are  underwritten,  being  desirous  to  inhabit  the 
town  of  Providence,  do  promise  to  submit  ourselves, 
in  active  or  passive  obedience,  to  all  such  orders  or 
agreements  as  may  be  made  for  the  public  good  of  the 
body,  in  an  orderly  way.  by  the  major  consent  of  the 
inhabitants,  masters  of  families,  incorporated  together 
into  a  township,  and  such  others  whom  they  admit 
into  the  same,  only,  in  things  Civil.*  As  in  the  first 
amendment  to  our  constitution  law  was  not  to  inter- 
meddle in  any  way  with  religion.  In  May,  1640,  it  was 
especially  provided  to  still  hold  forth  'Liberty  of  Con- 


*  History  of  America.    Vol  IX.  p.  *. 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  103 

science'  in  the  town  of  Providence  .*  That  famous 
charter  covered  all  the  ground  of  the  present  constitu- 
tion and  amendments,  as  touching  the  matter  of  Civil 
and  Religious  Liberty!" 

Gov.  Dudley's  famed  and  rather  notorious  couplet 
became  the  watchword  of  anti-liberal  people  who  were 
jealous  of  the  Welsh  Puritan. 

"Let  men  of  God  in  court  and  churches  watch 
O'er  such  as  do  a  Toleration  hatch." 


WILLIAM  PENX  AND  THE  WELSH. 

This  great  patron  of  the  Quakers,  or  Friends, 
had  written  to  Robert  Turner,  5th  of  ist.  mo.  (i.  e., 
.March,  1681)  making  reference  to  the  name  of  the 
province  on  this  wise:  "I  chose  New  Wales,  being,  as 
this,  a  pretty  hilly  country.  *  *  *  I  proposed, 
when  the  Secretary  refused  to  call  it  New  Wales,  Syl- 
vania,  and  they  added  Penn  to  it."  Moreover  the 
King  insisted  that  such  should  be  the  name,  in  honor 
of  Perm's  father,  the  Admiral.  (See  Janney's  Life  of 
Wm.  Penn,  p.  156).  Not  only  was  New  Wales  fitting, 
for  the  reason  assigned,  but  because  anotner  province 
had  taken  the  name  of  New  England,  and  because 
Welshmen  were  so  numerous  here  at  that  time.  We 

*  The  Roger  Williams'  Park,  Providence,  R.  I.,  contains  about  one 
hundred  acres.  The  land  was  presented  to  the  city  in  1871  by  Betsey 
Williams,  a  descendant  of  Roger.  It  is  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city, 
near  the  west  shore  of  Navy  Bay. 


104  Welshmen  as  Factors 

have  Perm's  own  testimony*  that  he  was  the  grand- 
son of  Shon,  or  John,  Pen-mynydd,  North  Wales. 
During-  the  P>i-centennial,  the  account  got  into  the 
Philadelphia  dailies.  It  is  also  known  that  Owain 
Tuclyr,  or  Owain  ab  Meredydd  ab  Tuclyr  (i  e.  Tudor), 
the  lord  of  Pen-mynydd,  was  born  in  1385.  William 
Penn  having  landed  at  Duck  Creek  on  the  Delaware, 
1682,  proposed  that  "the  people"  should  adopt  the 
frame  of  government  he  had  prepared,  with  the  under- 
standing that  this  frame  was  subject  to  "amendment" 
just  as  the  Constitution  now7  is.  The  document  was  to 
be  "further  explained"  and  "confirmed  by  the  first 
provincial  council,  if  they  see  meet."  Such  as  have  the 
opportunity  to  consult  the  Colonial  Records  of  Penn- 
sylvania, should  read  for  themselves  this  wonderful 
Frame  of  government  he  had  prepared,  with  the  under- 
standing taat  this  Frame  was  subject  to  "amendment" 
from  Vol.  I.  of  these  records: 

This  Charter  of  Liberties  defines  a  freeman,  as 
"One  who  shall  and  may  be  capable  of  electing,  or 
being  elected,  a  representative  of  this  Provincial  Coun- 

*  Said  William  Penn  to  Rev.  Hugh  David,  who  accompanied  him  from 
the  old  country,  the  voyage  of  1700:  "Hugh,  I  am  a  Welshman  myself, 
and  will  relate  by  how  strange  a  circumstance  our  family  lost  our  name. 
My  grandfather  was  named  John  Tudvr,  and  lived  upon  the  top  of  a  hill 
or  mountain  in  Wales.  He  was  generally  called  John  Pen-mynydd 
(which  in  English  is,  John  of  the  Hill-top.)  He  removed  from  \Vales  into 
Ireland,  where  he  acquired  considerable  property.  Upon  his  return  into 
his  own  country,  he  was  addressed  by  his  old  friends  and  neighbors,  not 
in  their  former  way,  but  by  the  name  of  Mr.  Penn.  He  afterwards  re- 
moved to  London,  where  he  continued  to  reside  under  the  name  of  John 
Penn,  which  has  since  been  the  family  name."  The  Rev.  Hugh  Davies 
went  to  Gwynedd  to  reside,  and  in  1732,  coming  to  the  city  to  see  Thomas 
Penn  he  accosted  him  in  three  stanzas  of  poetry,  two  of  which  referred 
to  him  as  "a  branch"  of  the  Tudor  stock  of  Anglesea,  N.  Wales. 


///  fhc  Format  ion  of  the  Republic.  105 

cil."  Section  third  provided  that  all  elections  of 
members,  £c.,  "Shall  be  free  and  voluntary,"  with  a 
marked  condemnation  of  "all  bribery."  Section 
fourth  regulated  the  matter  of  taxation,  placing  it  on 
a  just  basis.  Section  fifth  provided  that  the  Courts  be 
open,  and  that  justice  be  made  sure  to  all.  Section 
sixth  guarded  against  disqualifications  on  the  ground 
of  religious  scruples,  saying,  "In  all  the  Courts  all 
persons  of  all  persuasions  may  freely  appear."  Section 
eight  gave  trial  by  jury  of  "twelve  men/'  adding  that 
"reasonable  challenges  shall  be  always  admitted 
a'gainst  the  said  twelve  men  or  any  of  them."  In  all 
there  are  forty  sections,  but  the  above  may  •suffice  to 
indicate  the  spirit  of  the  whole.  \\hen  Peiin  wrote  a 
preface  to  his  Frame  of  Government,  dated  April  2561, 

1682,  he  remarked,  "\Ye  have,  with  reverence  to  God 
and  good  conscience  to  men.  to  the  best  of  our  skill 
contrived  and  composed  tlie  frame  and  laws  of  this 
Government,  to  the  great  en-d  of  all  Government,  viz., 
to  support  power  in  reverence  with  the  people,  and  to 
secure  the  people  from  the  abuse  of  power,  that  they 
may  be  free  by  their  just  obedience,  and  the  Magis- 
trates honorable  for  their  just  administration,  for  liber- 
ty without  obedience  is  confusion,  and  obedience  with- 
out liberty  is  slavery."    Another  "Frame"  was  given  in 

1683.  and  still  another  in  i6o<5,  but  these,  so  far  from 
curtailing,  enlarged  yet  more  the  Civil  and  Religious 
liberties  of  1682. 


Ill  April,  1681,  the  proprietor  had  written  to  the  in- 
habitants of  Pennsylvania,  saying.  ''You  shall  be 
governed  by  laws  of  your  own  making,  and  live  free, 
and  if  you  will  be  a  sober  and  industrious  people,  I 
shall  not  usurp  the  right  of  any.  or  oppress  his  per- 
son." To  the  Welsh,  as  lovers  of  freedom,  this  pledge, 
and  the  "Frame  of  Government"  were  most  attractive. 
As  to  religious  liberty,  both  the  proprietor  and  this 
people  could  appreciate  that,  as  a  boon  of  untold 
worth.  It  was  in  Wales  that  Jeremy  Taylor  composed 
his  celebrated  treatise  on  "Liberty  of  Prophesying," 
and  the  rights  of  the  human  conscience,  in  1674.  He 
was  taken  a  prisoner  by  the  Parliamentary  forces,  but 
speaks  of  Wales  in  loving  terms.  "In  the  great  storm 
which  dashed  the  vessel  of  the  Church  all  to  pieces,  I 
liiad  been  cast  on  the  coast  of  Wales,  and.  in  a  little 
boat,  thought  to  have  enjoyed  that  rest  and  quietude, 
which  in  England  I  could  not  hope  for."  Roger  Wil- 
liams was  so  full  of  the  Kymric  spirit,  that  he  would 
sing  that  song  of  "Cheer," 

"I  go  to  found  in  forests  drear, 

A  state  where  none  shall  persecution  fear." 

And  so  would  William  Penn  guarantee  the  fullest  re- 
ligious liberty,  as  we'll  as  the  largest  political  freedom. 
Accordingly  the  minutes  (P.  41)  of  the  "Provincial 
Council  of  Pennsylvania"  record,  that  the  proprietor 
promised  "Liberty  to  all  persons  who  confess  and 
acknowledge  the  one  Almighty  and  Eternal  God  to 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  107 

be  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of  the  World."  Of  this 
Government,  T.  J.  Wharton,  in  a  discourse  before  the 
Pennsylvania  Society,  in  1826,  observed,  that  here  was 
found  "The  germ  if  not  the  development  of  every 
valuable  and  important  principle  in  Government,  or 
legislation,  which  has  been  introduced  into  the  polit- 
ical systems  of  modern  epochs."  That  these  prin- 
ciples were  endeared  to  the  heart  of  Penn,  and  of  the 
people,  is  evident  from  other  facts.  Outside  his  own 
jurisdiction  he  was  solicitous  to  see  them  in  success- 
ful operation.  As  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  New  West 
Jersey,  in  1676.  he  had  secured  the  adoption  of  a  con- 
stitution that  "Would  lay  a  foundation  for  after  ages 
to  understand  their  liberty,  as  men  and  Christians!" 
Herein  was  written,  "Xo  person  to  be  called  in  ques- 
tion, or  molested,  for  his  conscience,  or  for  worship- 
ping- according  to  his  conscience."  And  again,  when 
1  Vim  was  requested  to  suggest  a  "Charter  of  Liber- 
tiesi"  for  Xew  York  Colony,  it  was  written  therein. 
"Xo  person  shall  at  any  time  be  in  any  way  disquieted, 
or  questioned  for  any  difference  of  opinion  in  matters 
of  religion."  How  unlike  the  Puritan  Government 
was  all  this:  and  how  similar  to  that  of  Rhode  Island 
and  the  traditions  and  usages  of  Wales.  Referring  to 
\Yilliams  and  Penn  Dr.  Jones  said,  "They  brought 
with  them  patriotism  kindled  at  the  altars  of  ancient 
T'.ritish  Freedom."  "Address"  p.  10. 


I08  Welshmen  as  1- actors 

JOHN  ADAMS. 

There  are  few  men  disposed  to  call  in  question 
Dr.  A.  Jones'  statement — "Another  man  of  the 
Cambrian  race — John  Adams."  He  claimed  both 
Samuel  and  John  as  of /'Welsh  Origin/"  President 
Adams'  ancestors  came  to  New  England  in  1640.  The 
author  of  "Our  First  Century,"  p.  120,  well  says, 
"That  of  all  the  opponents  of  British  misrule  in  the 
Western  World  John  Adams  was  the  earliest,  ablest, 
most  intrepid,  and  untiring."  As  a  member  of  Con- 
gress he  was  ever  at  his  post;  although  the  long  dis- 
tance from  Braintree  to  Philadelphia  had  to  be  under- 
taken on  horseback,  a  journey  both  perilous  and  dis- 
agreeable. Mrs.  Adams  was  the  daughter  of  a  Con- 
gregational minister,  and  Bancroft  has  drawn  a  touch- 
ing picture  of  her  patriotism  ^and  womanly  heroism. 
Having  read  the  King's  proclamation,  she  wrote 
November,  1775,  to  her  husband  on  this  wise,  "This 
intelligence  will  make  a  plain  path  for  you,  though  a 
dangerous  one.  I  could  not  join,  to-day,  in  the  peti- 
tions of  our  worthy  pastor  for  a  reconciliation  between 
our  no  longer  parent  State,  but  tyrant  State  in  these 
colonies.  Let  us  separate;  they  are  unworthy  to  be 
our  brethren.  Let  us  renounce  them." 

This  John  Adams  was  a  prominent  figure  in  the 
days  of  the  Revolution,  Jefferson  spoke  of  him 
as  the  "Colossus"  of  that  Congress  of  '76;  the  great 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  109 

pillar  of  support  to  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
and  its  ablest  advocate  and  champion  on  the  floor  of 
the  House  was  John  Adams."  One  calls  this  Adams 
"the  Atlas  of  Independence,"  and  such  he  was. 

\Yriting  in  1776,  we  have- this  record  of  the  many 
demands  made  upon  his  time  and  talents.  "I  am -en- 
gaged in  constant  business  from  7  to  10  in  the  morn- 
ing in  committee,  from  10  to  5  in  Congress,  and  from  6 
to  10  again  in  committees."  It  is  absolutely  impos- 
sible to  rightly  estimate  our  indebtedness  to  this  great 
man.  Long  before,  he  followed  the  legal  profession; 
and  his  practice  in  Boston  was  evidence  of  the  high 
esteem  in  which  he  was  held  as  a  lawyer.  He  forgot 
self-interest,  and  took  an  active  part  in  the  exciting 
scenes  which  led  to  the  total  disruption  of  the  ties  that 
bound  us  to  tne  throne  of  England.  As  early  as  1765, 
he  wrote  a  series  of  articles  for  the  ''Boston  Gazette," 
reprinted  in  London.  He  characterized  the  Stamp 
Act  as  "Unreasonable  and  unjust."  He  was  chosen 
to  the  State  Legislature  in  1770:  and  four  years  later 
had  won  for  himself  the  high  honor  of  being  appointed 
to  represent  his  State  in  Continental  Congress,  as- 
sembling in  Philadelphia.  In  June.  1775,  "The  elec- 
tion of  the  Generalissimo"  was  on  hand;  and  on  the 
wisdom  or  unwisdom  of  that  choice  turned  the  des- 
tiny of  our  Revolution.  As  Botta  remarks.  "On  this 
alone  might  depend  the  good  or  ill-success  of  the 
whole  series  of  operations."  Adams  saw  the  situation, 


no  li'dshincn  as  1- actors 

and  laid  his  plans  accordingly.  He  favored  Washing- 
ton rather  than  General  Ward  of  Massachusetts.  On 
the  1 5th  of  June,  his  motion  was  carried,  and  his  man 
elected — "the  right  man  in  the  right  place." 

Let  it  never  be  forgotten  that  to  John  Adams  are 
we  principally  indebted  for  the  sagacity  which  made 
choice  of  George  Washington  as  Commander  in  Chief 
of  the  Revolutionary  forces.  The  devotion  and  ability 
of  this  patriot  were  manifest  in  the  fact  that  he  pub- 
lished, in  London,  his  great  work  issued  in  1/87,  "De- 
fence of  the  Constitution  of  the  Government  of  the 
United  States."  it  was  a  work  of  three  volumes. 

It  was  after  a  long  and  heated  contest  that  the  Anti- 
Federalists  came  to  see  as  Washington  and  J. 
Adams  and  Hamilton  saw.  To  Jefferson  even>  and  to 
Samuel  Adams  also,  there  happened  "blindness  in 
part."  The  outcome  of  this  was,  that  Jefferson  be- 
came the  candidate  of  a  "Republican"  party  of  that 
age,  and  Adams  of  the  "Federal"  party.  The  latter 
had  said,  with  his  accustomed  earnestness  and  elo- 
quence, "J  now  from  this  floor  venture  to  predict  that 
before  ten  years,  this  Confederation  will  be  found  in- 
adequate to  its  purposes,  and  its  dissolution  will  take 
place." 

Up  to  1812  these  two  men  of  Welsh  blood  were 
rivals,  and  we  might  also  add,  were  sworn  antagonists; 
but  at  that  date  a  permanent  reconciliation  took  place 
between  them.  R.  M.  Devers  refers  to  "John  Adams 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic. 


in 


ami  Thomas  Jefferson"  as  "two  illustrious  sages, 
whose  names  and  lives  were  pre-eminently  identi- 
fied in  the  formation  of  the  Government,  and,  for  so 
many  years,  with  its  history  and  administration." 
This  nation  has  not  yet  fully  appreciated  its  indebted- 
ness to  these  men!  That  indebtedness  will  appear 
greater  as  coming  generations  give  it  their  careful 
study,  and  yet  its  magnitude  may  never  be  adequately 
comprehended.  John  Adams  and  Thomas  Jefferson 
are  names  that  will  endure  as  permanently  as  that  of 
George  Washington  himself.  The  new  eras  of  our 
country's  history,  which  have  come,  and  those  which 
are  yet  to  dawn  upon  us,  will  add  new  lustre  to  the* 
glory  not  only  of  our  first  great  President,  but  of  our 
second  ami  third  also. 

With  a  singular  skill  and  untiring  devotion,  did 
Adams  fill  his  position  as  Vice  President  for  two  terms, 
and  again  as  President  of  this  Republic  for  one  term 
during  1797-1801.  Charles  Bacon  has  remarked  that 
"the  duty  of  presiding  over  the  Senate  with  no  op- 
portunity to  take  part  in  its  deliberations,  was  so  irk- 
some to  one  of  his  temperament,  that  but  for  the  prize 
beyond  (Presidency),  he  would  not  have  accepted  the 
offer;  eight  years  of  the  second  office  soon  passed  by." 

John  Adams  was  Vice  President  for  eight  years,  and 
President  for  four:  conversely,  Thos.  Jefferson  was 
Vice  President  for  four  years  and  President  for  eight. 
Moreover,  Jefferson  was  Secretary  of  State,  the  conn- 


I  12 


ll'clshtnen  as  I:acli»'s 


terpart,  in  these  L'nited  States,  of  the  Premier  or 
Prime  Minister  of  England,  and  John  Adams  was 
Washing-ton's  minister  to  the  Court  of  George  III. 
He  signed  the  Peace  Treaty  with  Great  Britain  in 
1783.  Most  fitting,  and  every  way  worthy  of  the 
man,  were  the  dying  words  of  John  Adams:  "Inde- 
pendence for  ever!"  These  says  Lossing  were  "the 
last  words  he  ever  uttered." 

THOMAS  JEFFERSON. 

And  what  shall  be  said  of  the  "Sage  of  Monti- 
cello,"  Thomas  Jefferson  ?  His  family  of  Welsh  ex- 
traction was  in  Virginia  before  1619,  in  which  year 
his  ancestor  was  a  member  of  the  assembly,  the 
first  legislative  body  ever  convened  in  America. 
His  name  and  fame  are  too  well  known  to  need 
extended  reference  here.*  His  services  can 
never  be  forgotten:  nor  can  they  be  over-es- 
timated through  all  time.  Parton,  the  bio- 
grapher, said  of  him.  "Of  all  the  public  men  who  have 
figured  in  the  United  States,  he  was  incomparably  the 
best  scholar,  and  the  most  variously  accomplished 


*  "His  ancestry  was  Welsh.''— Shepp.  "His  father.  Peter  Jefferson, 
belonged  to  a  family  originally  from  Wales,  who  had  been  among  the 
first  settlers  of  the  colony,"  says  Duyknick.  (Gallery  of  Eminent  Men 
and  Women.  Vol.  I.,  p.  276.)  In  the  first  legislative  body  of  Europeans, 
of  which  we  read  in  America,  assembled  in  1619,  there  was  a  Jefferson. 
It  should  be  known  that  the  Welsh  alphabet  has  no  letter  answering  to 
J.,  and  that  the  old  name  was  Sieffre — with  the  English  "Son''  added. 
Sieff  covers  the  ground,  for  it  means  a  sister's  son.  See  Jones'  Welsh 
and  English  Dictonary,  A.  D.  1777, 


/;/  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  113 

man.  And  he  was  a  Welshman,  whose  ancestors  lived 
in  sight  of  Mt.  Snowdon.  Xo  man  was  ever  more 
proud  of  his  Welsh  blood  than  he." 

The  other  acts  of  Jeffers6n,  apart  from  his  writing 
the  famous  Declaration,  might  have  sufficed  to  secure 
undying  fame.  As  a  lawyer,  a  jxjlitician,  a  statesman, 
as  a  voluminous  author  and  a  champion  of  Civil  and 
Religious  Liberty,  he  had  few  equals  in  his  time,  or 
indeed  in  any  age  or  country.  It  may  not  be  known 
to  the  public  generally,  that  the  so-called  "Monroe 
Doctrine"  is  primarily  and  essentially  Jeffersonian. 
Monroe  in  his  perplexity  sought  and  obtained  the 
advice  of  this  Ex-President,  and  acted  thereon, 

Jefferson  would  have  Adams  draw  up  the  "Declara- 
tion of  Independence,"  but  he  declined,  saying,  "I 
will  not  do  it,  you  must.  There  are  three  good  reasons 
why  you  should,  ist,  you  are  a  Virginian,  and  Vir- 
ginia should  take  the  lead  in  this  business.  2nd,  I  am 
obnoxious,  suspected,  unpopular,  you  are  the  reverse! 
3rd,  You  can  write  ten  times  better  than  I  can." 
Jefferson  made  reply,  "Well,  if  you  insist  upon  it,  I 
will  do  as  well  as  I  can,"  He  did  it,  and  it  was  well 
done,  so  well  done,  that  it  has  become  an  "Immortal" 
instrument."  Not  only  did  it  serve  the  best  purposes  at 
that  time,  but  it  has  value  for  all  times.  The  eulogies 
passed  upon  it  have  been  many,  and  unstinted  praise 
has  been  bestowed  upon  it  from  age  to  age.  "The 
writers  of  the  time  bestowed  the  highest  encomiums 


ii4  Welshmen  as  Factors 

on  this  Declaration,  which  laid  the  foundation  of  the 
Independence  of  a  rich  and  powerful  nation."  (Bot- 
ta's  Hist.). 

The  article  on  "Jefferson"  in  the  ninth  edition  of  the 
Encyclopaedia  Britannica,  refers  to  this  document  as 
"The  weapon  that  dismembered  a  great  empire,  and 
that  gave  birth  to  a  nation  of  unlimited  possibilities. 
t  Its  style  and  sentiments  have  been  the  model 
for  every  people  which  since  that  time  has  sought  to 
assert  for  itself  the  right  of  self-government."  Says 
Dr.  Thorpe  in  "Government  of  the  People,"  "Ft  is  the 
enduring  fame  of  Thomas  Jefferson  that  he  caught 
the  spirit  of  the  people,  and  expressed  their  wishes  so 
perfectly  in  this  famous  state  paper."  In  the  spring  of 
1773  Jefferson  was  appointed  by  the  House  of  Bur- 
gesses, Virginia,  a  member  of  a  "Committee  of  Cor- 
respondence and  Inquiry"  for  the  "Dissemination  of 
Intelligence"  between  the  Colonies.  The  design  was 
to  make  common  cause  "against  the  pretensions  of  the 
Crown"  and  to  provide  for  a  convention  of  the  peo- 
ple to  perfect  their  "united  purposes."  The  House, 
hearing  of  the  Bos/tori  Port  Bill,  called  a  convention  of 
counties  to  meet  in  August,  1774.  Disabled  by  sick- 
ness, Jefferson  could  not  go  to  the  "General  Congress" 
now;  but  his  instructions  to  those  who  went  were  quite 
"too  radical"  for  adoption  just  then.  Like  John 
Adams  he  was  very  bold  and  outspoken.  Of  the  draft 
of  "Instructions"  to  the  Convention,  he  was  unable  to 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  115 

attend,  he  afterwards  said,  "Tamer  sentiments  were 
preferred,  and  I  believe  wisely  preferred,  the  leap  I 
proposed  being'  too  long  as  yet  for  the  mass  of  our 
citizens."  That  paper  was  printed  again  and  again, 
and  prepared  the  people  for  the  document  of  1776. 
The  Declaration  \vas  made,  "By  the  representatives  of 
the  United  States  in  Congress  assembled,"  and  "in  the 
name  and  by  the  authority  of  the  good  people  of  these 
colonies."  The  Welsh  nationality  \vas  largely  repre- 
sented, both  in  "the  good  people,"  and  by  those  "rep- 
resentatives." Hence  the  prominence  we  have 
afforded  our  colonial  history.  Everywhere  Welshmen 
were  known  as  the  defenders  of  the  "principles"  of 
this  Virginian.  His  able  "Autobiography"  is  laden 
with  proofs  that  the  welfare  of  this  Republic  was  ever 
upon  his  heart.  "When  I  left  Congress,  in  1776,  it 
was,"  says  he,  "in  the  persuasion  that  our  whole  Code 
must  be  revised,  adapted  to  our  representative  form  of 
Government,"  and  furthermore,  "that  it  be  corrected, 
in  all  its  parts,  with  a  single  eye  to  reason,  and  the 
good  of  those  for  whose  government  it  was  framed." 
In  his  own  State  he  was  ambitious  to  construct  a  kind 
of  "working  model"  for  more  general  application  to 
the  country  at  large.  He  longed  for  a  "Government 
truly  Republican,"  and  secured  it.  In  the  series  of 
nine  elaborate  volumes  from  his  pen  may  be  seen  the 
marvelous  resources  of  "The  Sage."  His  writings 
have  been  highly  prized,  and  widely  read.  They  ought 


116  Welshmen  as  I' actors 

to  be  more  widely  known.     It  was  not  until  1855  tljat 
the  work  of  iHtblication  was  complete. 

Naming  but  three  men,  Roger  Williams,  Thomas 
Jefferson  and  John  Marshall,  Hon.  Samuel  Griffiths 
says,  "Had  Cambria  given  to  Columbia  no  other  sons, 
in  the  great  struggle  for  liberty,  the  debt  could  never 
be  paid."  Let  us  gladly  own  Jefferson's  great  services 
in  that  'Louisiana  purchase,'  1803.  In  no  act  of  his 
were  the  .foresight  and  statesmanship,  the  wisdom  and 
patriotism  of  Jefferson  more  clearly  displayed.  This 
secured  to  us  a  territory,  then  ill-defined,  the  vastness 
of  which  was  not  known  until  the  exploration 
of  M.  Lewis  and  W.  Clark  had  unveiled  it. 
Of  this  Lewis  we  know  that  lie  had  been  the 
trusted  Secretary  of  President  Jefferson,  and 
Blaine  observes  that  "the  success  of  the  Lewis 
and  Clark  expedition  aided  greatly  our  title  to 
the  Oregon  country."  This  area  of  over  96,000  square 
miles  with  its  long  line  of  sea-board,  facing  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  would  have  been  of  little  use  to  the  Republic 
apart  from  the  Louisiana  purchase.  Out  of  that  pur- 
chase have  been  constructed  ten  of  our  now  (1893) 
forty-four  I'nitcd  States,  and  these  ten  covering  an 
area  compared  with  which  that  of  "the  original  thir- 
teen" was  quite  insignificant.  Mr.  Ouincy  "heard 
with  alarm  that  six  States  might  grow  up  beyond  the 
Mississippi!"  This  immense  acquisition,  1.171,931 
square  miles,  was  secured  at  the  trifling  cost  of 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  117 

fifteen  million  dollars.  That  act  was  supposed  to  be 
"Unconstitutional,"  and  Jefferson  said  he  "strained 
the  Constitution  till  it  cracked'  in  doing  this  service 
to  his  country  I>y  sonie,  "Jefferson  was  denounced. 
No  abuse  was  too  malignant,  no  epithet  too 
course,  no  imprecation  too  savage  to  be  employed  by 
the  assailants  of  the  great  philosophic  statesman  who 
laid,  so  broad  and  deep,  the  foundation  of  his  country's 
growth  and  grandeur.  The  acquisition  of  Louisiana 
brought  incalculable  wealth,  power  and  prestige  to  the 
Union,  and  must  always  be  regarded  as  the  master 
-troke  of  policy,  which  advanced  the  United  States 
from  a  comparatively  feeble  nation  lying  between  the 
Atlantic  and  the  Pacific,  to  a  continental  power  of  as- 
surcd  strength  and  boundless  promise.''  (Elaine). 
The  importance  of  prompt  action  was  manifest  to  the 
eagle-eyed  "Sage  of  Monticello."  He  made  haste  to 
fix  the  bargain,  ere  the  exact  provisions  of  the  treaty 
could  be  known.  Suppose  Spain  had  recovered,  or 
England  secured  this  prize,  who  can  help  perceiving 
that  the  Union  of  to-day  would  have  been  impossible, 
or  possible  only  at  the  cost  of  many  a  bloody  conflict. 
]>oth  these  powers  were  jealous  of  the  French  posses- 
sion here,  and  Napoleon,  seeing  France  could  not  re- 
tain the  coveted  prize,  was  induced  to  cede  it  to  the 
United  States.  "The  English  wish  to  take  posses- 
sion. The  conquest  of  Louisiana  would 
be  easy.  I  have  not  a  moment  to  lose  in  putting  it  be- 


n8  ll'i'lsfuncn  as  I' actors 

yond  their  reach,"  said  Napoleon;  and  so,  on  the  3Oth 
of  April.  1803,  in  presence  of  Monroe  and  Livingstone 
the  treaty  was  concluded!  Mr.  Elaine  observed  ''Eng- 
land's acquisition  of  Louisiana  would  have  proved  in 
the  highest  degree  embarrassing,  if  not  disastrous,  to 
the  Union.  At  that  time,  the  forts  of  Spain  transferred 
to  France,  and  thence  to  the  United  States,  were  on 
the  east  side  of  the  Mississippi,  hundreds  of  miles 
from  its  mouth.  If  England  had  seized  Louisiana  as 
J>onaparte  feared,  the  Floridas,  cut  off  from  the  other 
colonies  of  Spain,  would  certainly  have  fallen  into 
her  hands.  At  this  very  time.  Napoleon  was  aware  of 
the  presence  of  ''twenty  ships  of  line"  in  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico.  The  War  of  1812  too  would  have  been  sure 
defeat  to  us  had  England  acquired  a  foothold  on  the 
South  side  such  as  she  possessed  on  the  North  side 
of  our  young  Republic.  We  can  see  how  the  presence 
of  France  even,  within  this  territory,  would  have  cut 
our  country  in  twain.  Xo  wonder  Jefferson  was  so 
solicitous  that  our  Dominion  should  extend  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific.  The  eternal  gratitude  of  this 
nation  is  due  to  this  "watchful  and  patriotic  Presi- 
dent," whose  ancestry  is  traced  to  Snowdon,  Wales. 
His  grand  Declaration  may  stand  next  to.  this,  it  Can 
hardly  be  placed  before  it  in  important  and  ever- 
cumulative  worth! 

Again,  it  was  through  Jefferson's  influence  mainly 
that  Virginia.  "For  the  good  of  all,"  generously  and 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  119 

patriotically  surrendered  her  title  to  the  great  country 
north  of  the  Ohio  and  east  of  the  Mississippi,  which 
to-day  constitutes  five  prosperous  and  powerful  States, 
and  a  not  inconsiderable  portion  of  a  sixth  state. 
"This  was  the  first  territory  of  which  the  general 
Government  had  exclusive  control,  and  the  prompt 
prohibition  of  slavery  therein,  by  the  Ordinance  of 
1787,  is  an  important  and  significant  fact."  (Elaine). 
North  of  the  Ohio  River,  the  blight  of  slavery  came 
never.  \Yhen  Yhginia  ceded  to  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment this  territory — ''Among  other  provisions  which 
he  (Jefferson)  suggested,  and  which  were  adopted, 
was  this,  that  after  the  year  1800  of  the  Christian  era, 
there  should  be  neither  slavery  nor  involuntary  servi- 
tude in  any  of  the  said  States,  otherwise  than  in  pun- 
ishment of  crimes  whereof  the  party  shall  be  duly 
convicted  to  have  been  guilty."  In  justice  to  the 
name,  and  nationality  of  the  author  of  our  Declara- 
tion of  Independence,  two  facts  should  be  stated; 
first,  that  Jefferson  was  opposed  to  African  slavery, 
and  second,  that  he  regarded  the  African  as  a  "man" 
among  men!  l>oth  these  facts  were  incorporated  in 
the  Declaration  as  written  by  him.*  The  words  ''all 

*  We  copy  from  the  document  as  at  first  written  :  "He  has  waged 
cruel  war  against  human  nature  itself.  *  *  *  Determined  to  keep 
open  a  market  where  men  should  be  bought  and  sold,  he  has  prostituted 
his  negative  for  suppressing  every  legislative  attempt  to  prohibit  and  re- 
strain this  execrable  commerce.  *  *  *  He  is  now  exciting  those  very 
people  to  rise  in  arms  against  us,  and  to  purchase  that  liberty,  of  which 
he  has  deprived  them,  by  murdering  the  people  on  whom  he  has  protru- 
ded them." 


120  Welshmen  as  Factors 

men"  are  created  free  and  equal,  meant,  the  African 
not  less  than  any  other.  Jefferson  called  these  "men," 
writ-large!  The  "three-fifths"  appearing  in  our  Con- 
stitution was  a  troublesome  and  febrile  fraction;  i.  e., 
it  kept  up  a  feverish  unrest,  in  both  sections  of  our 
Union  for  more  than  half  a  century. 

( )f  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  its  great 
sequence,  the  Constitution,  Rev.  H.  O.  Rowlands,  D. 
I).,  well  observes  that  these  "Are  seen  in  their  match- 
less splendor,  and  their  greatness  and  wisdom  rightly 
comprehended,  only  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  the 
history  of  which  they  are  the  jewelled  crown." 

Jefferson  had,  for  a  great  while,  adopted  this  sug- 
gestive motto:  "Rebellion  against  tyrants  is  obedience 
to  God."  In  this  matter  he  did  not  fail  to  obey  ( lod, 
however  costlv  that  obedience. 


CHAPTER  III. 


THE  WELSH  AS  "SINGERS.' 


That  signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  was  a  note- 
worthy event,  "if  the  influence  of  the  pen  was  ever  an  impor- 
tant factor  in  the  history  and  destine  of  a  nation."  (Aubrey, 
p.  68). 

THE  reader  will  expect  some  notice  of  the  Welsh 
Signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 
Every  one  on  that  honored  list  deserves  a  full  re- 
cord of  services.  Dr.  Alexander  Jonas'  "Address," 
and  Hon.  T.  L.  James'  article  in  "The  Cosmopolitan," 
but  serv%  to  awaken  a  desire  for  larger  knowledge  of 
the  men.  Placed,  in  alphabetical  order,  they  stand 
thus:  John  Adams,  Samuel  Adams,  George  Clynier, 
William  Floyd,  Button  Gwinnett,  Benjamin  Harrison, 
Stephen  Hopkins,  Francis  Hopkinson,  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son, Francis  L.  Lee,  Richard  H.  Lee,  Francis  Lewis, 
Arthur  Middleton,  Robert  Morris,  Lewis  Morris, 
John  Morton,  John  Peiin,  William  Williams.  These 
were  not  all  of  Welsh  name  for  the  reason  that  they 
belonged  to  this  nationality  on  the  maternal  side. 
Whilst  some  of  these  have  greater  degrees  of  glory 
than  others,  they  will  all  shine  in  imperishable  lustre 
for  that  they  placed  their  signatures  to  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  when  that  act  imperiled  life  and 
property;  and  again,  because  that  act  carried  with  it 
so  great  prospective  significance.  It  is  not  designed 


122  Welshmen  as  Factors 

to  give  here  save  a  few  facts  concerning  these  factors. 
In  this  galaxy  are  found, 

r'Men,  high-minded  men, 

Men  who  their  duties  knew, 
But  knew  their  rights,  and  knowing,  dare  maintain." 

—Sir  W.  Jones. 

All  these  were  members  of  this  Congress,  because 
it  was  believed  that  they  were  in  sympathy  with  the 
claims  of  the  colonists.  Not  all  the  members  favored 
extreme  measures;  some  were  timid,  others  cautious, 
and  still  others  compromising  in  spirit,  and  word  and 
deed.  These  "Signers"  were  not  uncertain  in  their 
movements.  Their  convictions  were  settled,  and  their 
determination  fixed.  They  were  not  ciphers,  but  fac- 
tors of  high  value. 

A  Philadelphia  lawyer,  John  Sanderson,  com- 
menced in  1820  the  laborious  work  of  writing  and 
publishing  the  ''Lives  of  the  Signers,"  a  subject  con- 
tinued by  other  hands,  until  the  work  grew  into  seven 
volumes.  The  able  B.  J.  Loss  ing  did  honor  to  the 
"Signers  of  the  Declaration"  in  later  effort.  Never- 
theless the  relation  of  these  "Signers  to  the  Welsh  na- 
tion has  been  more  fully  emphasized  in  the  "Address" 
of  Dr.  Alex.  Jones,  delivered  at  the  request  of  the  St. 
David's  Benevolent  Society  of  New  York  City.  The 
late  Wm.  B.  Jones  (Ap.  P.  A.  Mon)  offered  a  motion 
tendering  the  Doctor  thanks  for  his  interesting  and 
instructive  address,  and  requesting  "a  copy  for  publi- 
cation." Accordingly,  this  address,  with  an  elaborate 


/;/  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  123 

"Appendix,"  was  given  to  the  press  in  the  year  1855. 
In  1894  the  enterprising'  publisher  of  "Y  Drych"  (The 
Mirror)  issued  this  address,  with  other  valuable  mat- 
ter of  interest  to  the  readers  of  this  excellent  Welsh 
'weekly,  as  a  souvenir. 

Before  entering  upon  a  brief  notice  of  some  of  these 
men,  we  call  attention  to  the  fact,  that  their  signatures 
are  quite  a  study.  I  have  before  me  the  fac-similes 
thereof,  published  by  a  New  York  house,  with  John 
O.  Adams'  affidavit  of  their  correctness  affixed  there1- 
to.  The  only  shaky  hand  was  that  of  Stephen  Hop- 
kins, Rhode  Island,  and  that  was  caused  by  a  chronic 
bodily  infirmity,  not  by  any  trembling  or  timorous 
mind.  His  famous  pamphlet  on  "The  rights  of  the 
Colonies"  was  vigorous  and  effective,  published  by  or- 
der of  the  General  Assembly  in  1765,  evinced  his 
heroism  and  his  love  of  liberty.  This  staunch  Rhode 
Islander,  who  put  his  name  to  the  Declaration,  this 
man  of  Welsh  blood  and  training,  was  "a  member  of 
the  first  Continental  Congress,  assembled  in  New 
York,  October  7,  1765,  and  was  fervently  in  favor  of 
the  Declaration  of  Rights,  on  which  that  Congress 
agreed.  Owing  to  a  nervous  weakness,  Hopkins  had 
to  stay  that  right  hand  with  his  left,  whenever  he  un- 
dertook to  use  his  pen.  He  was  not  tardy,  for  the 
signature  of  Step.  Hopkins  is  well-nigh  to  that 
of  John  Hancock,  the  President  of  Congress  in  that 
eventful  period.  Other  names,  of  Welsh  nationality, 


J24  Welshmen  as  Factors 

appear  hear  the  bottom,  such  as  Robert  Morris  and 
Francis  Lightfoot  Lee,  but  this  must  not  be  attributed 
to  any  tardiness  that  meant  an  undecided  or  a  hesita- 
ting mind,  for  that  of  the  author,  Thomas  Jefferson, 
is  more  than  half-way  down  this  -sheet.  The  signatures 
were  not  all  affixed  until  some  time  in  August;  but 
they  were  all  marked  by  the  bold  decision  to  "hang 
together,"  when  that,  or  to  "hang  separately''  was 
the  solemn  alternative  before  these  heroic  men. 
There  was  an  undertone  of  manly  self-sacrifice  in 
that  play  on  the  word  "hang."  Benjamin  Harrison's 
is  a  sprightly  signature,  and  shows  that  he  had  fully 
counted  the  cost.  He  had  aforetime  written  it  under 
the  "Proclamation  and  Declaration"  of  the  First  Con- 
gress, remarking  to  the  slender  Garry,  "When  the 
time  of  hanging  comes,  I  shall  have  the  advantage 
over  you;  it  will  be  over  with  me  in  a  minute,  but  you 
will  be  kicking  in  the  air  half  an  hour  after  I  am 
gone."  Harrison's  ancestors  ''came  from  Wales  to 
Virginia." 

George  Clymer's  signature  has  to  it  a  remarkable 
flourish.  Hjs  hopefulness  seemed  as  bright  as  his 
patriotism  was  brimful!  His  home  was  plundered  by 
British  soldiers  in  1777,  and  his  wife  and  child  had  to 
escape  for  their  lives.  He  was,  says  Devens,  "distin- 
guished among  the  sons' of  Pennsylvania,  as  "One  of 
the  first  to  raise  a  defiant  voice  against  the  arbitrary 
acts  of  the  mother  country.''  He  stood  by  our  cause 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  125 

at  all  hazards.  As  Carson  observes,  "He  stoutly  re- 
sisted the  encroachments  of  Great  Britain."  He  was 
a  true  member  of  the  Council  of  Safety.  At  great 
risks  he  exchanged  all  his  specie  for  Continental 
money,  and  subscribed  most  liberally  to  the  costs  of 
conflict  with  Britain.  So  hated  was  he  that  his  aunt's 
house,  in  Philadelphia,  was  being  torn  down  by  the 
British,  supposing  it  to  be  his. 

Above  the  name  of  Stephen  Hopkins  stands  that  of 
William  Floyd, :;:  written  with  quite  a  flourish;  and, 
lower  down,  the  names  of  the  other  two  Xew  York 
men,  Francis  Lewis,  a  native  of  Wales,  and  Lewis 
Morris;  these  also  gave  their  pen  a  significant  freeness. 
All  of  them  were  called  upon  to  endure  great  sacrifices 
for  their  country's  cause.  Lewis  was  the  only  one  of 
the  favored  signers  born  in  Wales.  Lewis  Morris  "was 
born  of  a  \Yelsh  family  in  1726."  He  was  a  graduate 
of  Yale,  1746;  was  "sent  to  the  Continental  Congress 
in  1775,  and  served  till  1777;  lost  a  large  amount  of 
property  by  the  war;  died  in  1798,  aged  72."  (See  Dr. 
Jones'  "Address").  . 

Francis  Hopkinson,  another  of  these  signers,  a 
Philadelphia!*,  of  Welsh  descent,  was  an  able  lawyer, 
a  saturist,  and  a  wit.  He  stood  by  the  American  flag, 


*  Gen.  William  Floyd  was  the  grandson  of  Richard  Floyd  who  emi- 
grated from  Wales  in  1654,  and  settled  at  Setanket,  Lor}'  Island  in  1655. 
"Jones'  "Annals  of  Onedia  Co.,  N.  Y.,  p.  706.  The  General  died  in  1821, 
being  87  years  of  age.  His  tablet  records  the  fact  that  "he  war  an  ardent 
supporter  of  his  country's  rights,,'  and  furthermore  that  he  was  a  signer 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 


i26  Welshmen  as  Factors 

and  is  credited  with  the  authorship  of  that  famous 
composition  "Hail  Columbia." 

William  Williams,  too,  on-e  of  the  Signers  for  Con- 
necticut, who  wrote  a  name  remarkable  for  its  flourish 
and  unrestrained  type,  was  one  to  whom  patriotism 
became  a  most  costly  luxury.  He  had  written  several 
essays  on  political  subjects,  tending  to  stir  up  "the 
spirit  of  freedom."  "During  the  whole  Revolutionary 
War,  he  was  very  useful  in  obtaining  private  contri- 
butions of  supplies  for  the  army,"  and,  "at  one  time, 
when  the  paper  money  was  of  so  little  value  that  milit- 
ary services  could  not  be  procured  for  it,  he  exchanged 
two  thousand  dollars  in  specie,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
cause,  which  he  never  recovered."  (Kncyc.  Amer. 
Art.  Williams).* 

John  Morton,  of  West  Chester,  Pennsylvania, 
Wrelsh  on  his  mother's  side,  wrote  a  clear,  steady  hand. 
As  early  as  1764  we  find  him  seated  in  the  General 
Assembly  of  his  State.  To  him  belongs  the  honor  of 
having  given  the  vote  which  turned  the  scale  in  favor 
of  the  famous  declaration,  making  Pennsylvania  the 

*  In  the  gloomy  days  of  'j6,  the  Council  of  Safety  was  called  to  sit  in 
Lebanon,  Conn.,  Williams  quartered  two  of  them  at  his  home,  Hillhouse 
and  Huntington.  In  a  conversation  he  said  to  them,  "Well,  if  they  suc- 
ceed *  *  *  one  thing  I  have  done  which  the  British  will  never  pardon, 
I  have  signed  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  I  shall  be  hung."  Hun- 
tington replied  that  he  had  "neither  put  his  hand  to  that  instrument,  nor 
written  anything  against  the  British  Government."  "Then,  sir,"  said  the 
indignant  man  of  Welsh  blood  and  fire,  "  you  deserve  to  be  hanged  for 
not  having  done  your  duty  !"  This  was  a  man  of  piety  as  well  as  of 
patriotism.  Early  chcsen  as  a  deacon  of  the  Lebanon  Congregational 
Church  of  which  his  father  was  pastor,  he  continued  in  that  office  to  the 
end  of  his  life,  and  won  for  himself  "a  good  degree. "  He  died  in  T8ir, 
having  passed  h;s  four  score  years. 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  127 

Keystone  of  the  Arch  which  held  "the  original  thir- 
teen." Not  only  were  the  States  ranged  six  for,  and 
six  against  the  adoption  of  that  great  instrument,  but 
of  the  seven  Pennsylvania  delegates,  there  were  three 
on  each  side,  when  John  Morton's  vote  was  cast.  But 
.for  that  vote,  who  can  tell  what  disaster  might  have 
befallen  that  famous  work  of  Jefferson,  or  what  would 
have  become  of  the  young  Republic? 

Richard  Henry  Lee,  of  Virginia,  was  among  the 
Signers.  He  had  been  the  first  to  expose  and  resist 
the  "Declaratory  Act  of  1764,"  passed  by  the  British 
Parliament,  touch ing  the  right  to  tax  the  colonies. 
He  was  uncompromisingly  opposed  to  the  notorious 
Stamp  Act,  and  to  the  quartering  of  soldiers  in  Vir- 
ginia. He  was  Jefferson's  right-hand  man.  He,  as 
well  as  Samuel  Adams,  o>f  Massachusetts,  was  forward 
in  forming  clubs  for  the  defence  of  American  liberties. 
He  represented  his  State  in  the  First  General  Con- 
gress, 1774,  and  prepared  the  "Memorial  of  Congress 
to  the  people  of  British  America."  He  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  which  gave  Washington  instructions 
as  to  the  conduct  of  the  war.  His  was  the  motjon 
offered  in  Congress,  June  7th,  1776,  "That  these  Uni- 
ted Colonies  are,  and  of  right  ought  to  be,  free  and 
independent  States,  that  they  are  absolved  from  all 
allegiance  to  the  British  crown,  and  that  all  connec- 
tion between  them  and  the  State  of  Great  Britain  is 
and  ought  to  be  totally  dissolved."  Of  his  speech  on 


I28  Welshmen  as  factors 

this  motion,  is  said  that  it  "was  one  of  the  most  bril- 
liant displays  of  eloquence  ever  heard  on  the  floor." 
This  called  forth  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to 
prepare  a  Declaration  of  Independence!  According 
to  custom,  Lee  would  have  been  the  Chairman  of  such 
Committee;  but  being  June  loth,  summoned  nonie  on 
account  of  serious  sickness  in  the  family,  Jefferson 
was  substituted,  and  drew  up  the  Declaration.  Lee 
did  not  return  till  August,  when  he  gladly  put  his 
signature  among  the  Signers.  The  Lees  were  origin- 
ally from;  North  Wales. 

Arthur  Middleton,  born  in.  South  Carolina,  "was 
of  Welsh  origin,"  though  of  English  education,  hav- 
ing been  sent  over  there  to  school.  He  was  back 
again  in  1773,  when  the  air  was  laden  with  rumors  of 
discontent,  and  threats  of  resistance  He  was  placed 
on  the  first  "Council  of  Safety,"  where  he  advocated 
and  suggested  the  most  vigorous  and  decisive  meas- 
ures. He  appeared  in  Congress,  and,  as  the  repres- 
entative of  his  State,  he  signed  the  Declaration.  His 
action  in  opposing  the  British  and  defending  Charles- 
ton provoked  an  attack  upon  his  home,  then  destruc- 
tion of  his  property,  and  furthermore  his  incarcera- 
tion. For  the  space  of  two  years  he  was  shut  up  in 
prison. 

There  are  other  names  which  deserve  a  special  men- 
tion here.  That  of  Samuel  Adams  stands  near  the 
head,  that  of  Benjamin  Harrison  about  the  middle, 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  129 

and  that  of  Robert  Morris  well-nigh  at  the  foot  of  this 
signature  document.  These  three  were  valuable 
Welsh  factors  in  other  than  this  important  service.  S. 
Adams,  when  graduating  from  Harvard  University  in 
1743,  had  taken  for  his  theme  the  question,  "Whether 
it  be  lawful  to  resist  the  Supreme  Magistrate  if  the 
Commonwealth  cannot  otherwise  be  preserved?"  He 
held  the  affirmative,  and  so  he  struck  the  key-note  of 
"the  anthem  of  the  free,"  sung  and  discoursed  by 
Jefferson.  But  for  the  belief  that  he  could  better  serve 
his  country  as  a  lawyer,  Adams  would  have  entered 
the  Christian  ministry.  So  able  an  advocate  of  popu- 
lar rights  was  he,  that  in  1766,  he  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  State  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  and,  as 
such,  he  had  a  voice  in  all  the  measures  proposed  to 
offset  and  frustrate  the  tyranical  plans  of  the  Tory  ad- 
ministration. As  j:he  inveterate  opponent  of  "the 
King's  party"  it  was  claimed  that  Adams  could  neither 
be  bought  nor  beaten!  In  1774  he  was  sent  to  the 
"the  first  Congress  of  the  Old  Confederation."  Law- 
abiding,  but  liberty-loving,  he  hailed  the  battle  of 
Lexington,  saying,  "This  day  (April  19,  1775)  is  a 
glorious  day  for  America."  Well  has  it  been  said  of 
Samuel  Adams,  "He  was  born  for  the  Revolutionary 
epoch."  Like  John  Adams,  this  Signer  could  say, 
"Sink  or  swim,  live  or  die,  survive  or  perish  with  my 
country,  is  my  fixed,  unalterable  determination." 
Of  Robert  Morris,  other  particulars  wilt  be  given  in 


!3o  Welshmen  as  1:  actors 

this  essay;  but  here  it  is  proper  to  note,  that  he  came 
with  his  father,  a  respectable  merchant  from  Liverpool 
to  Philadelphia,  in  1734,  or  forty-two  years  prior  to  the 
Declaration.*  Carson  (see  Hist,  of  One  Hundredth 
Anniversary  of  U.  S  Constitution)  remarks,  "It  was 
on  his  nomination,  that  Washington  was  chosen  Presi- 
dent," and  again  that  "he  (Morris)  declined  the  office 
of  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  tendered  him  by  Wash- 
ington." They  were  sworn  friends  to  each  other,  and 
not  less  to  the  American  cause  also.  The  Bank  of 
North  America,  which  the  famed  financier  established, 
had  in  view  primarily  the  success  of  the  struggle  in- 
cident upon  this  Declaration  of  Independence.  He 
knew  well,  and  learned  fully,  what  was  meant  by  the 
closing  words  of  that  instrument,  pledging  "fortunes," 
as  far  as  necessary,  "for  the  support  of  this  Declara- 
tion." The  name  and  fame  of  Robert  Morris  is  rightly 
associated  with  that  of  "the  immortal  Signers;"  for 
even  earlier  than  '76  had  this  great  and  patriotic  man 
of  Welsh  blood  taken  his  stand  and  decided  to  risk  his 
fortune  on  the  altar  of  American  liberties  and  rights. 
In  1765  he  had  signed  the  "Non-importation  agree- 
ment." The  very  serious  commercial  loss,  to  himself 
and  his  partner  in  business,  resulting  from  this  sign- 
ing, did  not  deter  him  from  signing  the  Declaration. 
He,  like  Arthur  Middleton,  and  William  Floyd  and 

*  Richter,  i.  e.,  Rev.  Lot  Lake,  does  not  hesitate  to  write  that  Morris 
was  born  in  Wales.    His  father  was  a  respectable  merchant  in  Liverpool. 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  131 

George  Clymer  and  Francis  Lewis  and  Lewis  Morris 
and  William  Williams  had  counted  the  cost,  and 
would  not  shrink  from  paying  the  penalty  of  opposing 
George  III.  Ridpath  refers  to  the  services  of  this 
Signer:  "The  princely  fortune  of  Robert  Morris  was 
exhausted,  and  himself  brought  to  poverty  in  a  vain 
effort  to  sustain  the  credit  of  the  Government.  :|: 
It  was  seen  that  unless  the  'Articles  of  Confederation' 
could  be  replaced  with  a  better  system,  the  nation 
would  go  to  ruin."  (U.  S.  Hist:,  p.  358). 

One  name  was  obnoxious  above  all  the  rest.  So 
hated  was  the  author  and  Signer,  Jefferson,  that 
Cornwallis  ordered  the  great  estate  of  Elk  Hill  to  be 
"utterly  destroyed."  This  was  in  1781;  but  that  loss 
was  but  a  small  portion  of  what  it  cost  him  to  be  true 
to  his  avowed  "principles"  and  to  this  young  Repub- 
lic. He  was  of  those  whom  he  deemed  true  patriots, 
who  were  "up  to  the  point  of  forwardness  and  zeal 
which  the  times  required."  He  never  could  favor 
"John  Dickenson's  half-way  house."  As  was  said  by 
Daniel  Webster,  Jefferson  was  a  man  "who  has  filled 
a  very  large  space  in  our  political  ami  literary  annals;" 
and  as  the  centuries  roll  on,  the  name  ami  fame  of 
this  "Welsh  Factor"  will  never  grow  dim.  Hon. 
Anthony  Ho- well,  presiding  over  a  Saint  David's  cele- 
bration in  Youngstown,  Ohio,  remarked,  "Histor- 
ians of  all  nations  concede  to  us  the  greatest  of  all 
names  claimed  as  belonging  to  this  nationality." 


132  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Again  and  again  have  we  referred  to  the  marvellous 
and  multiform  services  of  this  great  man  of  "forecast," 
courage  and  sagacity."  Into  what  seemed  to  be  a 
"merely  revolutionary  document"  he  introduced  "ab- 
stract truth  applicable  alike  to  all  men  and  all  times," 
and  Lincoln  added,  "a  rebuke  and  a  stumbling-block 
to  the  very  harbingers  of  reappearing  tyranny  and  op- 
pression!" He  was  not  a  military  man;  but  the  execu- 
tive services  of  no  President  of  this  Republic  have 
equalled  those  of  Thomas  Jefferson.  He  is  to  the 
rest,  not  excepting  a  Lincoln  or  a  McKinley,  what 
Pike's  Peak  is  to  our  towering  Rocky  Mountain.  We 
trust  the  St.  Louis  World's  Fair  of  1903  will  prove  a 
worthy  centennial  commemoration  of  "The  Louisiana 
Purchase!" 


CHAPTER  IV. 


FACTORS  IN  THK  REVOLUTIONARY  WAR. 


PRIOR  to  the  Revolution,"  says  Dr.  Alexander 
Jones,  "Xew  England,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware 
and  Virginia  received  a  large  number  of  emigrants 
from  Wales,  man}-  of  whom  and  their  descendents 
bore  distinguished  parts  in  the  War  of  the  American 
Revolution."  The  able  author  of  the  "Cymry  of  '76," 
had  taken  praiseworthy  pains  to  trace  out  the  lines  of 
history,  confirming  the  truth  of  the  sentence  just . 
quoted.  He  well  observes,  that  "The  history,  of  their 
deeds  would  fill  volumes."  No  wonder,  therefore, 
that  in  his  "Address"  a  great  many  names  are  left  un- 
mentioned,  and  very  many  facts  unrecorded.  He  un- 
dertook to  verify  the  Welsh  descent  of  some  of  the 
fourteen  generals  he  named. 

"At  an  early  date  the  \Velsh  element  was  generally 
favorable  to  Independence,  and  contributed  to  swell 
the  rank  of  the  patriots."  (Egle).  What  was  true  of 
the  beginning,  is  not  less  true  of  later  times.  In  the 
words  of  the  famous  Welshman,  Hon.  Ellis  H.  Rob- 
erts, "The  love  of  freedom  is  instinctive  in  the  Welsh- 
man, as  all  the  traditions  of  his  race,  and  the 
poems  of  his  bards,  and  the  vitality  of  his  language 
prove:  and  he  demands  it  not  for  himself  alone,  but  for 


134  Welshmen  as  F actors 

all  mankind."  As  early  as  1770,  when  Newport,  R.  I., 
was  a  slave  mart,  Dr.  Samuel  Hopkins  lifted  up  his 
voice  like  a  trumpet,  in  denunciation  of  the  slave  sys- 
tem. He  also  wrote  against  it  several  able  papers. 

We  must  note  some  of  the  men  who  took  part  in  the 
conflict.  No  doubt  there  were  many  of  this  nationality 
in  the  Bunker  Hill  battle;  with  others 

N 

"they  stood 
On  Bunker's  height. 

And  fearless  stemmed  the  invading  flood, 
And  wrote  our  dearest  rights  in  blood." 

We  have  no  means  at  hand  for  rescuing  from  oblivion 
the  names  of  such  as  were  of  our  nationality.  We 
know  that  "Little  Rhody"  w^as  distinguished  for  her 
patriotism,  and  sent  out  and  supported  three  regi- 
ments. She  was  forward  in  declaring  Independence, 
preceding  by  thirty-two  days  the  "Old  Dominion" 
even;  nor  was  she  tardy  in  sending  forth  her  warriors 
brave.  Possibly  Arnold  (Hist,  of  Rhode  Island,  Vol. 
II.,  p.  561)  may  supply  the  reason  why  this  was  so; 
he  says  this  colony  "Had  enjoyed  a  freedom  unknown 
to  any  of  her  compeers." 

At  this  point  it  seems  necessary  to  give  the  reader 
some  explanation  of  the  reason  why  a  large  number 
of  Welshmen  stood  aloof  from  the  war,  especially  in 
Pennsylvania.  Nevertheless,  the  Keystone  State  had 
then,  as  in  later  times,  a  proud  record  for  devotion  to 
the  cause  of  freedom  and  the  prosperity  of  this  Repub- 


/;/  ///f  Formation  of  the  Republic.  135 

lie.  The  Great  Seal  of  Perm's  Commonwealth  repre- 
sented the  Goddess  of  Liberty  with  sword  in  hand, 
standing  over  the  prostrate  lion,  the  superscription 
being,  "Both  can't  survive."  Moreover,  Welshmen 
could  uniformly  adopt  the  dying  saying  of  Marco 
Bozzaris,  "To  die  for  liberty  is  a  pleasure  and  not  a 
pain!"  And  yet  to  the  peace-loving  Friends,  as  to 
William  Perm,  the  horrors  of  war  were  most  abhor- 
rent. They  could  endure  death,  when  they  could  not 
inflict  death.  Quaker  Welshmen,  whose  ancestors 
came  "from  Dolgellau,  from  Brithdir,  from  Meirion- 
ydd,  from  places  adjacent  to  Trallwm  and  Dolobran 
and  Maldwyn"  (lorthryn  Gwynedd),  were  slow  to  ac- 
cept the  truth  of  Tennyson's  couplet — 

v  "And  this  be  true  till  time  shall  close, 

That  principles  are  rained  in  blood." 

Neither  could  they  accept  this  opinion  of  Professor 
Thompson,  S.  T.  D.,  of  Philadelphia,  given  in  his  "In- 
ternational Ethics: — "The  greatest  service  that  one 
nation  can  render  to  another  may  be  to  thresh  it  into 
a  sense  of  its  duty  to  its  own  people,  and  to  the  world." 
More  to  their  liking  was  the  teaching  of  one  of  their 
own  school,  Jonathan  Dymond,  "War  must  be  wholly 
forbidden.  No  definition  of  lawful  and  un- 

lawful war  will  or  can  be  attended  to.  *  *  *  There 
is  no  hope  of  an  eradication  of  war,  but  by  an  absolute 
and  total  abandonment  of  it."  So  the  Friends,  true  to 
their  belief  that  war  under  any  circumstances  is  sin- 


136  Welshmen  as  Factors 

ful,  set  their  faces  against  the  military  movements  in- 
cident to  our  Revolution.  This  was  the  more  afflic- 
tive to  Washington,  because  in  and  around  Philadel- 
phia, this  people  were  very  numerous,  and  their  prin- 
ciples seriously  interfered  with  the  progress  and  con- 
duct of  the  war.  He  sorely  complained  of  the  per- 
nicious tendency  of  these  restrictions,  and  took  meas- 
ures to  offset  them.  When  in  1790,  this  people  would 
"by  the  strongest  assurances  testify  their  loyalty  to 
the  New  Government,"  Washington  replied  that  the 
only  thing  inconsistent  with  such  profession  was 
"their  refusal  to  support  their  fellow-citizens  during 
the  Wrar."  Oft  repeated  warnings  from  the  "Meet- 
ings," with  excommunication  of  offenders  were  the 
order  of  the  day.  "The  Pennsylvania  Magazine  of 
History  and  Biography"  gives  examples  of  such  ac- 
tion. (See  Vol.  V.).  Some  ([notations  are  given  from 
Samuel  Foulke's  journal;  he  was  a  "disowned"  mem- 
ber. At  Goshen  meeting  and  Nantmel  meeting,  there 
had  been  early  action  against  sympathizers  with  the 
"Associators,"  and  positive  condemnation  of  "enlist- 
ing and  keeping  the  company  of  soldiers."  Despite 
all  efforts  to  enforce  neutrality,  many  of  this  people 
took  active  part  in  the  irrepressible  conflict.  Other 
denominations  were  less  troublesome  to  Gen.  Wash- 
ington. John  Davis,  Tredyffryn,  entered  the  service 
in  March,  1776,  under  Colonel  Atlee.  In  November 
he  raised  a  company,  Ninth  Pennsylvania,  and  was 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  137 

Captain  of  the  same.  He  was  faithful  to  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Welsh  Presbyterian 
Church.  His  services  in  the  battles  at  Brandy  wine, 
Germantown,  Monmouth,  Stony  Point  and  Cowpens 
were  an  honor  to  this  soldier  of  Welsh  blood.  He  was 
very  obnoxious  to  the  Tories,  by  reason  of  his  de- 
fence of  the  American  cause.  Ministers  of  other  re- 
ligious bodies  were  for  the  most  part  practically 
patriotic  and  aggressive.  They  were  fully  persuaded 
that  to  insure  Independence,  they  must  push  forward 
this  war.  The  historian  Sabine,  after  diligent  search 
for  sympathizers  with  George  III.,  found  but  one 
Baptist  Tory,  and  that  one  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards, 
the  famous  Welshman;  in  another  denomination  only 
six,  and  in  yet  another  only  three.  In  one  church, 
probably  the  English  Episcopal,  there  were  forty-six. 
As  far  as  we  know,  Edwards  was  the  only  Welshman. 
Joseph  Powell  of  Bedford  County,  educated  for  the 
ministry,  served  as  a  chaplain  in  the  County  Battalion 
of  Associators,  1776.  Elisha  Williams  was  chaplain  of 
the  Connecticut  forces  sent  against  Cape  Breton  in 

J745- 

As  pastor  of  Upper  Freehold,  in  1775,  Reverend, 
afterwards  Chaplain  David  Jones,  was  disliked  for 
being  so  outspoken  "in  favor  of  the  Colonists."  He 
journeyed  from  Great  Valley  to  Utica,  N.  Y.,  to  secure 
the  services  of  Rev.  Thomas  Roberts.  Mr.  Roberts 
being  absent,  he  said  to  Mrs.  Roberts,  'T  am  David 


1 38  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Jones,  pastor  of  that  Great  Valley  Church,  and  now 
Chaplain  General  of  the  Army.  My  duty  to  God  and 
in}-  country  calls  me  to  the  frontier."  Rev.  Roberts 
became  for  years  the  pastor  at  Dyffryn  Mawr.  The- 
renowned  Chaplain  Jones  was  a  great  favorite  both 
with  Washington  and  with  Gen,  H.  Gates.  "The 
Cymry  of  '76"  has  preserved  the  "Address"  of  Jones 
at  Tico'ndero'ga.  That  strong  fortress  was  taken  in 
May,  1775.  It  cost  the  British  Government  many  mil- 
lions of  money  to  erect  it. 

In  Virginia  the  name  of  Rev.  Samuel  Harris,  or 
Col.  Harris,  was  famous  by  reason  of  his  "military 
character  and  habits"  in  these  stirring  times.  In  New 
Jersey,  the  great  grandfathers  on  both  sides  of  Major 
William  Morris  of  the  26th  N.  J.  Infantry,  in  our  late 
war,  were  soldiers  in  the  War  of  Independence,  and 
also  in  the  War  of  1812.  The  sou  of  Rev.  Solomon 
Williams,  D.  D.,  of  Lebanon,  Conn.,  William,  served 
on  the  staff  of  Col.  Ephraim  Williams,  an  officer  of 
great  merit,  who  had  command  of  the  regiment  of 
Provincial  troops  raised  in  Massachusetts.  Abram 
Garfield  took  part  in  repulsing  the  British  assault  at 
Concord  bridge,  and  was  one  of  the  three  selected  to 
bear  witness  that  the  British  'were  tire  aggressors  in 
the  difficulty  which  precipitated  the  Revolution. 
Pierrepont  Edwards,  a  son  of  Jonathan  Edwards, 
served  in  this  war.  Of  the  son  of  Colonel  Thomas 
Marshall  we  read  that  "At  the  early  age  of  eighteen., 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  139 

his  mind  was  exercised1  on  the  impending  struggle 
with  Great  Britain,  and  in  1775,  when  but  twenty 
years  old,  lie  joined  a  military  company,  and  inspired 
tli em  to  prepare  for  service.  He  with  his  regiment,  of 
which  his  father  was  then  Major,  took  part  in  the 
1>attle  of  Great  Bridge.  His  company,  afterwards 
known  as  the  "Culpepper  Minute  Men,"  wore  green 
hunting  shirts,  on  the  bosom  of  which  was  displayed 
the  motto,  in  white  letters,  "Liberty  or  death."  The~~ 
banner  they  carried  had  on  it  a  coiled  rattle-snake  with 
the  words,  "Don't  tread  on  me." 

The  medical  staff  is  an  important  feature  in  any 
military  campaign.  In  the  War  of  Independence, 
there  were  not  a  few  Welshmen  doing  excellent  serv- 
ice of  this  sort:  such  as  John  Jones,  a  native  of  Jam- 
aica, L.  I.,  and  Dr.  Geo.  Evans  of  Chester  County, 
Pa.  Dr.  John  Davis,  a  native  of  Tredyfrryn,  was  Sur- 
geon in  Chief  of  the  Pennsylvania  Battalion,  organized 
in  1776. 

When  the  British  troops  took  possession  of  New 
York,  Dr.  John  Jones,  great-grandson  of  Thomas 
Wynne,  of  Caerwys,  Flintshire,  North  Wales,  and  the 
noted  physician  of  Revolutionary  times,  was  called  in- 
to requisition.  He  was  placed  on  the  medical  depart- 
ment of  the  army  in  1780;  he  was  elected  physician  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Hospital,  Philadelphia;  he  was  the 
friend  and  physician  of  Franklin,  and  in  1790  attended 
General,  then  President  Washington,  during  his  very 


T4o  Welshmen  as  Factors 

serious  illness  in  New  York  City.  The  well-known, 
Dr.  John  Jones  Levick,  said  at  the  annual  dinner  of 
the  Welsh  Society  of  Philadelphia,  March  ist,  1890, 
that  in  his  opinion,  the  physician,  John  Jones,  M.  D., 
was  "a  Saviour  of  the  Republic!"  On  the  medical 
staff,  were  such  as  Thomas  Jones,  Jr.,  whose  father 
came  from  Wales.  The  doctor  early  assisted  in  form- 
ing- "Associators"'  in  Berks'  County,  and  for  a  while, 
served  as  Major  of  the  famed  Battalion. 

Of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence,  Samuel  C. 
Morris  was  Secretary;  and  on  that  Committee  were 
the  following  Chester  County  men:  Col.  Richard 
Thomas,  Major  William  Evans,  Major  Caleb  Davis, 
Elisha  Price,  Esq.,  and  Colonels  Hugh  Lloyd  and 
Evan  Evans.  Ere  the  "Provincial  Conference"  ad- 
journed on  the  25th  day  of  June,  1775,  they  unani- 
mously approved  of  an  Address  to  the  Associators*  of 
Pennsylvania,  one  section  of  which  reads  as  follows: 
"You  are  about  to  contend  for  permanent  freedom,  to 
be  supported  by  a  Government  which  will  be  derived 
from  yourselves,  and  which  will  have  for  its  object, 
not  the  enrollment  of  one  man,  or  class  of  men  only, 
but  the  safety,  liberty,  and  happiness  of  every  in- 
dividual in  the  community.  We  call  upon  you,  there- 
fore, by  tine  respect  and  obedience  which  are  due  to 
the  authority  of  the  united  Colonies,  to  concur  in  this 

*  Such  as  had  subscribed  to  the  Test  Oath  of  Allegiance  prescribed 
by  Congress. 


Iii  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  141 

important  measure.  The  present  campaign  will  prob- 
ably decide  the  fate  of  America.  *  *  Remem- 
ber, the  honor  of  our  Colony  is  at  stake.  *  *  * 
Remember  the  name  of  Pennsylvania.  Think  of  your 
ancestors,  and  of  your  posterity."  In  similar  vein  is 
the  address  of  the  famous  chaplain,  Reverend  David 
Jones,  delivered  in  the  hearing  of  Gen.  St.  Clair's 
brigade  at  Ticonderoga:  "Such  is  your  present  case, 
that  we  are  fighting  for  all  that  is  near  and  dear  to  us, 
while  our  enemies  are  engaged  in  the  worst  of  causes, 
their  design  being  to  subjugate,  plunder  and  enslave 
a  free  people  that  have  done  them  no  harm. 
No  doubt  these  have  hopes  of  being  our  task-masters, 
and  would  rejoice  at  our  calamities.  Look  therefore, 
Oh!  look,  at  your  respective  states,  and  anticipate  the 
-consequence  if  these  vassals  are  suffered  to  enter.  *  : 
*  Every  one  that  may  fall  in  this  dispute  will  be  just- 
ly esteemed  as  martyrs  to  liberty,  and  his  name  will 
be  had  in  precious  memory  while  the  love  of  freedom 
remains  in  the  breasts  of  men.  All  whom  God  may 
favor  to  see  a  glorious  victory  will  return  to  their  re- 
spective States  with  every  mark  of  honor,  and  be  re- 
ceived with  joy  and  gladness  of  heart  by  all  the  friends 
to  liberty  and  lovers  of  mankind." 

Widely  known  was  that  Hope  furnace  where  Ezek- 
iel  Hopkins,  son  of  Jacob  Hopkins,  manufactured 
swords,  "of  excellent  quality,"  and  where  our  navy 
was  supplied  with  cannon  and  large  balls,  with  other 


1 42  Welshmen  as  Factors 

munititions  of  war.  In  other  respects,  and  places, 
Welshmen  aided  in  providing  needed  materials  for 
this  great  con/test.  John  L.  Howells,  reported  to  the 
Committee  of  Safety,  that  a  powder  mill  had  been  er- 
ected, one  end  of  which  was  sufficient  to  supply  two 
tons  per  week.  About  the  first  powder  mill  in  these 
parts  was  that  of  Dr.  Robert  Harris,  of  Pennsylvania. 
In  1774  we  have  Hon.  Samuel  Phillips  of  Massachu- 
setts erecting  a  powder  mill  at  much  expense  in  South 
Andover.  This  mill  and  another  at  Stoughton  supplied 
large  quantities  of  powder  to  the  army.  The  Phil- 
lipses,  descendants  from;  George  Phillips,  were  "among 
the  foremost  of  the  patriots  of  the  Revolution." 
(Brockett). 

In  Frederick  County,  Maryland,  Messrs.  Daniel  and 
Samuel  Hughes  had  a  furnace  and  foundry.  July  I, 
I77^>  the  Maryland  Convention  authorized  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety  to  lend  the  proprietors  two  thousand 
pounds  sterling,  for  nine  months,  to  encourage  them 
"to  prosecute  their  cannon  foundry  with  spirit  and 
diligence."  They  had  nearly  completed  a  contract  for 
casting  cannon,  for  that  State.  This  firm  was  intro- 
duced to  the  notice  of  the  Continental  Congress.  The 
letter  or  introduction  states,  that  Messrs.  Hughes  had 
"been  at  nmch  expense  in  fitting  up  their  works,  but 
they  proposed  to  enlarge  them  if  Congress  would  take 
all  the  guns  they  could  make  during  the  next  year." 
A  contract  was  accordingly  entered  into  for  1000  tons 


///  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  143 

of  cannon,  toward  the  cost  of  which  £8,000  were  ad- 
vanced. This  same  year,  1776,  the  people  of  Alexan- 
dria, Va.,  applied  to  Congress  for  permission  to  pur- 
chase cannon  at  this  Hughes'  Furnace,  stating  that 
they  were  "The  only  persons  in  this  part  of  the  Con- 
tinent to  be  depended  on  for  cannon."  In  May,  1777, 
Congress  allowed  this  firm  $22  2-3  per  ton  in  addition 
to  the  sum  mentioned  im  the  contract."  (American 
Archives,  Vol.  VI.). 

No  one  questions,  by  this  time,  the  justice  of  our 
American  War,  as  a  means  of  throwing  off  the  yoke  of 
oppression ;  for  all  know  the  beneficent  effects  of  it,  as 
a  stepping  stone  towards  our  wondrous  success. 

Dr.  A.  Jones  in  the  Preface  to  his  "Address,"  re- 
marks, "The  part  taken  in  the  American  Revolution 
by  Welshmen  and  their  descendants,  cannot  fail  to  in- 
terest the  people  of  this  country,  and  especially  those 
of  Cambrian  origin."  This  matter  was  well  handled 
by  the  author  of  that  well  known  address.  Consider- 
able space  is  afforded  the  subject  in  our  essay.  At  no 
period  do  valuable  "factors"  count  for  more  than 
when,  in  such  pressing  emergencies,  talent  and  time, 
fortunes  and  lives,  are  freely  placed  on  the  altar  of 
patriotism,  and  to  serve  one's  country.  So  did  the 
"Cymry  of  1776."  It  pleases  us  that  we  shall  be  able 
to  give  equal  prominence  to  Welshmen  as  factors, 
when  we  come  to  recount  their  daring  and  their 


i44  Welshmen  as  Factors 

deeds  in  the  later  and  the  last  war.*  In  so  far  as  this 
people  have  been  "first  in  war"  or  "first  in  peace,"  or 
foremost  as  promoters  of  the  civil,  political  and  moral 
well-being  of  the  Republic,  they  should  be  accorded  a 
place  of  honor  in  this  essay. 

Of  vast  numbers  of  this  nationality  it  may  be  said 
in  truth  that  they  "Loyally  followed  the  flag  of  the 
Union  in  three  wars."  For  this  they  deserve  the  ever- 
lasting gratitude  of  the  Republic. 

As  was  fitting,  when  Washington  was  on  his  way  to 
New  York,  there  to  be  inaugurated  as  President  of 
this  Republic,  that  Philadelphians  delighted  to  do  him 
honor.  Having  abandoned  his  carriage,  he  mounted 
a  magnificent  white  charger  attended  by  Charles 
Thompson,  Secretary  of  Congress,  and  Colonel  Hum- 
phreys, also  on  horseback.  In  this  entrance  to  Phila- 
delphia, many  of  the  most  distinguished  men  of  the 
city,  with  various  military  organizations  "rallied 
around  their  chief."  It  was  estimated  that  not  less 
than  20,000  people,  among  them  very  many  Welsh- 
men, greeted  the  coming  President.  In  New  York, 
the  procession,  from  the  Presidential  residence  to 
Federal  Hall,  was  headed  by  Col.  Morgan  Lewis,  at- 
tended by  two  officers.  That  day,  the  crown  and  glory 
of  our  historic  days,  when  the  first  President  and  the 

*  No  reference  is  made  to  oar  war  with  Spain  in  i8g8,  and  yet  we 
know  that  men  of  this  nationality  were  distinguished  as  aforetime.  By 
the  way,  this  would  be  a  good  theme  for  some  Eisteddfod  in  the  near 
future. 


/;/  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  145 

Vice  President,  John  Adams,  entered  upon  th?ir  office 
shall  never  be  forgotten.  It  was  well  the  Empire  City, 
commemorated  the  event  with  appropriate  ceremonies 
April  29th  and  3Oth,  1889.  Washington  was  "First 
in  peace  first  in  war,  first  in  the  hearts  of  his  coun- 
trymen." Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  this  imperish- 
able and  oft-repeated  compliment  was  uttered  by  Gen. 
R.  H.  Lee,  who  sat  in  the  Continental  Congress  as  a 
Senator  from  Virginia.  In  1779,  the  Senate  appointed 
him  to  prepare  and  deliver  a  suitable  eulogistic  ora- 
tion to  the  memory  of  the  deceased  President.  So 
satisfactory  was  this  effort,  that  on  Friday,  December 
27th,  that  body  passed  a  hearty  vote  of  thanks  to  Lee, 
and  requested  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  to  solicit  a 
copy  of  the  grand  oration. 

During  our  struggle  for  Independence  from  1775 
to  1781,  it  would  be  impossible  to  determine  the  num- 
ber o<f  Welsh  people  who  were  in  the  rank  and  file  of 
the  army.  Two  facts  may  suffice  to  prove  that  they 
were  by  no  means  few.  The  records  of  the  "Meetings 
of  Friends,"  many  of  whom  were  Welsh  Quakeio, 
testify  that  so  devoted  were  men  of  this  nationality 
to  the  Republic  as  to  cause  their  exclusion  by  order  of 
these  "meetings;"  and  again,  the  affirmation  of  a  his- 
torian, Shermian  Day,  touching  Berks,  a  pre-eminently 
Welsh  County,  "Many  of  her  sons  were  engaged  in 
the  struggle."  It  is  acknowledged  that  the  province 
of  Pennsylvania  had  fully  60,000  men  under  arms 


146  Welshmen  as  Factors 

during  this  war.  In  Great  Valley  and  Merion  were 
fought  some  of  the  bloodiest  battles  of  the  war,  and 
here  the  Welsh  were  settled.  When  in  May,  1776,  a 
sea-fight  occurred  off  Wilmington,  Col.  Samuel  Miles 
had  a  force  of  one  thousand  rifle-men  in  the  vicinity, 
t.o  render  any  needed  assistance.  In  the  Colonial 
Records,  it  is  stated  that  Robert  Powers  was  ordered 
to  deliver  to  Col.  Miles  for  the  use  of  the  Provincial 
troops  under  his  command  one  thousand  pounds  of 
gunpowder,  and  two  thousand  pounds  of  lead,  "or  as 
great  a  part  thereof  as  is  in  store."  Moreover  it  was  or- 
dered, that  "agreeably  to  Col.  Miles'  direction,"  the 
Commissary  send  "20,000  cartridges  for  muskets,  for 
the  use  of  the  Associators  of  Chester  County."  The 
next  day  he  was  ordered  to  send,  for  the  use  of  the 
Provincial  troops  under  Col.  Miles,  sixty  fire-locks. 
The  Colonial  Records  from  1774  to  the  close  of  the 
war  are  replete  with  notices  of  the  active  service  both 
civil  and  military  of  the  fourth  Richard  Thomas  in  the 
line  of  descendants  from  Richard  ap  Thomas  of  Flint- 
shire, North  Wales,  the  purchaser  of  five  thousand 
acres  of  land  from  William  Penn,  July  16,  1681.  This 
Richard  was  "a  member  of  the  first  Association  in  the 
county,  formed  to  carry  out  the  views  and  effect  the 
purposes  of  the  Continental  Congress."  (Hist,  of 
Chester  Co.,  p.  742).  In  the  year  1775,  R.  Thomas 
was  Lieut.  Col.  of  a  regiment  of  volunteers;  the  fol- 
lowing April  he  was  appointed  Colonel  of  the  Fifth 


/;/  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  147 

Battalion  of  Associators.  This  patriot  was  a  member 
of  the  Provincial  Conference  or  Convention,  com- 
posed of  the  County  Committees  which  met  June  18, 
1776.  That  conference  appointed  the  Pennsylvania 
delegate  who  signed  the  Declaration  of  Independence; 
and  furthermore,  it  adopted  the  measures  for  organ- 
izing a  militia  force  of  6,000 — the  number  assigned  to 
Pennsylvania  by  that  Congress  as  her  quota  of  the  ten 
thousand  militia  which  were  directed  to  form  a  "fly- 
ing camp"  for  the  Middle  Colonies.  Of  the  Chester 
County  Regiment  of  this  flying  camp,  Col.  Thomas 
was  Commander.  They  went  over  into  Jersey  even, 
as  far  as  Amboy.  Their  first  duty  was  to  protect  Phila- 
delphia against  the  ravages  of  the  enemy.  Altogether 
the  duties  of  Col.  Thomas'  command  were  of  the  most 
arduous  and  responsible  character.  Ezekiel  Davis, 
enlisting  early  in  1776  in  the  Fifth  Pennsylvania,  was 
that  year  placed  in  the  office  of  Lieutenant.  Caleb  Da- 
vis, received  for  fire-locks  made  by  him  one  thousand 
pounds,  and  also  one  hundred  pounds  for  gunpowder. 
He  became  a  Colonel  and  a  man  of  prominence  in 
military  affairs.  Lewis  Gronow  was  a  patriot  who 
deserves  to  be  named  here,  a  sub-lieutenant  who  had 
charge  of  the  organization  of  his  company.  He  soon 
rose  to  the  degree  of  Colonel.  At  Carpenter's  Hall  in 
the  Conference  assembled  June  18,  1776,  were  Gronow 
and  Col.  Thomas,  Col.  Hugh  Lloyd,  and  Col.  Evan 
Evans,  with  Major  Davis  and  Major,  afterwards  Col. 


148  Welshmen  as  Factors 

William  Evans.  Gronow  was  also  in  the  Chester 
County  meeting  that  chose  a  committee  to  carry  into 
•execution  the  Acts  of  the  General  Congress  of  De- 
cember, 1774.  It  has  been  well  said,  "Rome  and 
Greece  in  their  purest  and  brightest  day  produced  no 
patriots  more  heroically  devoted  than  the  Cymry  of 
the  American  Revolution."  (Jones'  "Cymry  of  [776"). 
Major-Gen.  Charles  Lee  was  "a  native  of  North 
Wales"  (Encyc.  Am.),  and  had  served  in  the  military 
of  Great  Britain.  He  was  in  Portugal,  1762,  and  "dis- 
tinguished himself  "  there  under  General  Burgoyne. 
Coming  to  New  York  in  1773,  he  expensed  the  Ameri- 
can side  of  the  quarrel  with  the  mother  country.  In 
1775,  he  received  a  commission  from  Congress,  and 
immediately  resigned  the  one  he  held  in  the  British 
service.  Meanwhile  he  had  travelled  extensively,  to 
-ascertain  the  ground  and  the  cause  of  hostility  to 
•George  III.  As  Major  General  in  the  Colonial  serv- 
ice now,  he  accompanied  Washington  to  the  camp  be- 
fore Boston.  In  1776  he  was  directed  to  occupy  New 
York.  He  did  admirable  service  both  there  and  in 
the  South,  as  a  defender  of  the  American  cause.  His 
tact  and  bravery  in  opposing  the  attack  of  the  British 
upon  the  Fort  at  Sullivan's  Island  brought  him  into 
considerable  prominence.  He  was  afterwards  in 
•Georgia,  whence  Congress  summoned  him  to  Harlem, 
to  save  New  York.  December  13,  1776,  he  was 
marching  through  Jersey  to  join  the  Commander  in 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  149 

Chief;  was  taken  prisoner,  and  treated  by  General 
Howe  as  a  deserter.  He  was  not  exchanged  until  the 
surrender  of  Burgoyne,  October  17,  1777.  The  unfor- 
tunate affair  connected  with  the  battle  of  Monmouth,. 
which  occurred  the  following-  year,  brought  Lee  and 
Washington  into  collision,  and  this  difficulty  lead  to 
some  suspicion  of  Lee.  and  the  close  of  his  military 
career.  Unfortunately  for  him,  his  ambition  was  un- 
bounded. His  pride  once  mortified,  the  Welshman 
could  not  forget  it.  His  funeral  at  Philadelphia  at- 
tested the  respect  in  which  he  was  held  as  a  soldier,, 
despite  his  eccentricities  and  failings  as  a  man.  We 
have  allotted  this  much  space  to  this  man  for  the  fol- 
lowing reasons,  to  confirm  the  Welsh  origin  of  the 
Lees,  and  to  show  how  naturally  a  Welshman  es- 
poused the  side,of  the  oppressed  against  the  oppressor. 
Beyond  controversy,  this  man's  name  and  service 
deserve  to  be  mentioned  among  the  Factors  of  which 
we  are  writing. 

So  dreaded  was  the  cavalry  force  under  "Harry" 
Lee,  that  the  British  detached  two  hundred  troopers 
to  surround  ami  capture  him  while  serving  as  body- 
guard to  Washington,  at  Germantown.  Lee  and  ten 
men  were  together  in  a  stone  house  when  thus 
alarmed.  He  cut  his  way  through  and  escaped,  thus 
securing  the  thanks  of  Congress  and  a  gold  medal. 
In  1781  he  was  made  Lieutenant  Colonel.  The  "Light- 
horse  Harrvv  is  held  in  immortal  honor. 


150  Welshmen  as  Factors 

"Mad  Anthony,"  General  Wayne,  "Was  a  Cymra 
on  both  his  father's  and  his  mother's  side."  His  re- 
mains repose  in  the  Welsh  Tract.  His  grandfather 
was  a  warm  friend  of  liberal  principle,  and  emigrated 
to  America  in  1772.  Of  the  distinguished  services  of 
this  great  General  it  is  needless  that  we  write  Here.  It 
is  known  that  he  was  one  of  the  principal  deputies 
cho'Se'n  in  1774  to  consider  "The  alarming  state  of 
affairs  between  Great  Britain  and  her  colonies."  In  the 
Provincial  Legislature  of  1775,  he  represented  his  na- 
tive country;  during  a  large  portion  of  the  campaign 
of  1777  "he  performed  alone  the  duty  of  three  general 
officers."  It  must  be  stated  that  in  the  Council  of 
War  prior  to  the  battle  of  Monmouth,  Wayne  and 
Cadwalader  were  "the  only  two  of  the  17  Generals  who 
were  in  favor  of  fighting."  In  that  battle  this  Welsh- 
man gained  the  very  distinguished  honors,  which  the 
Commander  in  Chief  noticed  in  his  report  to  Congress. 
At  Stony  Point  also,  July  15,  1779,  having  fallen 
wounded,  lie  cried,  "Forward,  my  brave  fellows,  for- 
ward, if  mortally  wounded  I  will  die  in  the  Fort."  For 
his  bravery  Congress  awarded  him  thanks  and  a  gold 
medal.  Daniel  Evans  of  Uwchlan  Township  was  a 
schoolmate  of  General  Wayne's,  and,  at  one  time,  the 
General  made  his  headquarters  at  his  house. 

Gen.  Daniel  Morgan,  "Wagoner  General,"  de- 
scended from  a  Welsh  family;  he  was  born  in  New 
Jersey,  1737,  and  at  an  early  age  emigrated  to  Vir- 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  151 

ginia,  where  be  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven..  On  one 
of  the  flags  of  his  rifle  corps,  was  inscribed,  "Liberty 
or  Death."  General  Isaac  Shelby  (whose  ancestors 
came  from  Wales),  \vas  born  in  Maryland,  1750.  He 
was  by  profession  a  surveyor.  "His  services  in  the  de- 
fence of  liberty  were  as  heroic  as  they  were  valuable." 
Referring  to  General  Andrew  Lewis,  from  a  Welsh 
family,  and  born  in  Virginia,  Dr.  Jones  in  his  address 
says,  "When  Washington  was  appointed  Commander- 
in-Chief,  he  recommended  Col.  Lewis  for  the  office  of 
Major  General ;  but  lie  was  by  some  means  overlooked 
at  the  time,  and  accepted  the  office  of  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral. Gen.  Morgan  Lewis  was  a  son  of  one  of  the 
Signers,  Francis  Lewis,  born  in  Llandaf,  South 
Wiales,  1713.  He  was  Gen.  Gates'  Aide-de-camp  at 
Saratoga.  It  was  Lewis  who  received  the  sword  of 
Gen.  Burgoyne  at  the  surrender.  In  the  rotundo  of 
the  Capitol  at  Washington  may  be  seen  Trumball's 
picture,  in  which  our  General  stands  forth  in  marked 
promience.  He  lived  to  see  his  cjoth  year,  "beloved 
and  respected  by  all/' 

Gen.  John  Cadwalader,  whose  name  meaning  a  war- 
chief,  attests  his  Welsh  descent,  was  a  native  of  Phila- 
delphia. In  1777  lie  became  Brigadier  General,  and 
was  honored  as  a  soldier  of  distinguished  ability.  To 
ihim  was  entrusted  one  of  the  three  divisions  of  the 
army  in  December,  1776,  that  were  to  make  the  des- 
perate attempt  of  surprising  the  British  forces  in  Jer- 


152  Welshmen  as  Factors 

sey.  Of  the  volunteers  under  his  command,  nearly  all 
became  soldiers  of  the  Revolutionary  army,  and  got 
commissions.  In  the  winter  of  1776-7  he  had  the 
whole  of  Pennsylvania's  troops  under  his  command, 
and  his  men  were  foremost  in  some  of  the  most  im- 
portant battles  of  the  Revolutionary  crisis.  In  1778 
he  was  offered,  but  declined  to  accept,  an  appointment 
from  Congress  as  General  of  the  Cavalry.  He  thought 
he  could  do  better  services  to  his  country  without  that 
appointment. 

Maryland  was  tne  birthplace  of  Gen.  ().  H.  Wil- 
liams, his  ancestors  having  settled  there  when  they 
came  from/  Wales.  He  entered  the  rifle-corps  when 
the  Revolutionary  Wrar  opened,  and  was  then  Lieu- 
tenant. Transferred  to  Massachusetts  he  arose  to  the 
rank  of  Major.  As  Adjutant  to  Gen.  Green  he  had 
command  of  the  Maryland  cavalry,  winning  for  him- 
self great  renown  at  Guildford,  and  Kutaw  Springs, 
opening  the  gates  of  Charleston  to  our  forces.  For 
this  services  Congress  conferred  on  him  the  rank  of 
Brigadier  General.  "His  valor  and  skill  in  battle 
were  among  the .  lowest  of  his  qualifications.  His 
penetration  and  sagacity  u.nited  to  a  profound  judg- 
ment and  a  capacious  mindi  rendered  him,  in  the 
cabinet,  peculiarly  valuable.  *  *  He  was  to  Green 
what  that  officer  was  to  Gen.  Washington."  A  milit- 
ary friend  made  this  statement:  "In  the  field  of  battle 
he  was  self-possessed,  intelligent  and  ardent;  in  camp, 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  153 

circumspect,  attentive  and  systematic;  in  counsel,  sin- 
cere, deep,  and  perspicuous."  (Dr.  Frost's  History 
of  Generals). 

Another  Brig.  Gen.,  Edward  Stephen  of  Virginia, 
commanded  her  forces  at  Guildford  and  Great  Bridge, 
Brandywine  and  Germantown.  From  Massachusetts 
caiiK-  Gen.  John  Thomas,  and  from  Connecticut  Gen. 
Joseph  Williams,  and  from  Virginia  Gen.  Richard 
Wynn. 

Of  the  seven  Colonels  of    Welsh    blood    named  in- 
"Cymry  of  1776,"  Daniel   Humphreys,  a  Yale  grad- 
uate, class  '71,  has  special  mention.     His  father  was  a 
Presbyterian  minister. 

\\'e  could  add  other  names,  such  as  that  of  Col. 
John  Fvans,  Yellow  Springs,  Chester,  and  Col.  Jacob 
Morgan  of  Berks'  County.  The  latter  was  a  member 
of  the  Provincial  Conference  of  June  28th,  1776,  and 
of  the  convention  of  the  15th  July  following.  He  was 
Cojonel  in  one  of  the  1  Jerks'  County  Battalions  of  As- 
scciators,  and  subsequently  in  command  of  all  the 
troops  raised  in  that  county.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Supreme  Executive  Council  May  2oth,  1777,  and  of 
the  Council  of  Safety,  from  October  17th,  to  Decem- 
ber 4th,  1774.  He  was  appointed  Assistant  Forage 
Master  April  5th,  1780.  His  son  Jacob,  who  inherited 
his  father's  estate  was  an  ensign  in  Col.  Kurd's  Bat- 
talion in  1758,  and  a  man  quite  prominent  in  public 
affairs.  Bearing  the  same  name  as  his  father,  he  has 


154  Welshmen  as  Factors 

been  frequently  confounded  with  him,,  both  bearing 
the  rank  of  Colonel.  Many  Welsh  names  appear 
among  the  Captains  of  this  period,  e.  g.,  Anthony 
Morris,  Isaac  Davis,  Hezekiah  Davis,  David  Phillips, 
who  emigrated  from  Wales  in  1755.  John  Davis,  and 
others  In  the  battle  of  Brandywine,  September  I5th, 
1774,  Mordicai  Morgans  of  the  Pennsylvania  Militia 
did  excellent  service.  His  grandfather  emigrated  from 
Nantmel,  Radnorshire,  Wales,  in  i6gi. 

Of  the  Welsh  settlers  in  Wyoming  Valley,  it  is 
known  that  many  took  part  in  this  war.  In  the  Sec- 
ond Independent  Company  from  Wyoming,  the  pay- 
roll has  a  list  of  Welsh  names  appearing  for  three 
years  following  January  ist,  1777.  From  these  parts 
were  Captain  J.  Davis  and  Lieut.  William  Jones,  who 
fell  on  the  field  April  17,  1779,  and  wtre  buried  near 
Wilkesbarre.  Many  of  these  were  at  the  time  in  great 
peril  from  the  Indians;  nevertheless  they  left  their 
homes  undefended,  to  defend  their  country.  In  Au- 
gust, 1775,  John  Jenkins  called  a  meeting  in  which  it 
was  resolved,  "That  they  would  unanimously  join 
their  brethren  in  America  in  the  common  cause  of  de- 
fending their  liberty."  Jenkins  was  the  chairman,  and 
drew  up  the  resolution  touching  the  stand  taken  by 
this  colony.  February  17,  1781,  Jenkins  set  out  with 
his  company  to  join  General  Washington  at  head- 
quarters on  the  Hudson.  Arriving  there  March  nth, 
he  was  in  the  1  attle  of  King's  Bridge.  He  ac- 


Ill  the  I-ormation  of  the  Republic.  .155 

companied  the  army  to  Yorktown,  and  \vas  at  the  sur- 
render of  Cornwallis,  serving-  at  that  time  under 
Baron  Steuben.  The  war  being  over  he  resigned  his 
commission,  and  returned  home  to  guard  Wyoming 
against  the  inroads  of  the  hosile  Pennamites.  Among 
the  Revolutionary  soldiers  from  Lehigh  and  Carbon 
county  districts  were  Evan  Davis,  John  Davis,  Evan 
Evans,  Jacob  Powell,  Jonathan  Richards;  from 
Northampton  count}'  came  three  hundred  and  forty- 
six  of  the  "flying  camp,"  and  among  these  a  consid- 
erable number  of  Welshmen.  Dr.  Belknap  refers  to 
seventy-six  New  Hampshire  settlers  who  suffered  in 
consequence  of  an  Act  of  Congress,  (1777-78,)  to 
''confiscate  and  make  sale  of  the  real  and  personal 
estates,"  of  such  as  forfeited  their  rights  to  "the  pro- 
tection of  their  respective  States,"  by  reason  of  their 
indifference  to  the  demands  of  the  hour.  "The  money 
arising  from  sales  in  continental  loans'  certificates,  to 
be  appropriated  as  the  State  shall  direct."  Of  these 
seventy-six  who  were  alien  from  "the  spirit  of  '76," 
not  one  bore  a  Welsh  name.  Offsetting  the  indiffer- 
ent spirit  of  these  New  England  people  we  note  the 
record  found  in  History  of  Chester  County,  Pa.,  (p. 
60,  s.  i.).  July  15,  1774,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Phil- 
adelphia with  reference  to  the  duty  of  the  hour  rela- 
tive to  the  tyranny  of  George  III.,  and  the  support 
required  by  the  people  of  Boston — now  suffering  in 
the  cause  of  America.  This  meeting  was  convened 


'56 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


in  response  to  a  circular  addressed  to  "Freeholders 
and  others,  inhabitants  of  the  county  of  Chester  qual- 
ified to  vote  for  representatives  in  general  Assem- 
bly." This  assembly,  acting  in  harmony  with  sim- 
ilar bodies  in  other  colonies,  appointed  deputies  to 
the  General  Congress,  to  be  convened  in  Philadelphia 
September  5,  1774.  Fifty-five  deputies  were  enrolled. 
The  two  from  Chester  county  were  Charles  Hum- 
phreys and  John  Morton.  When  in  December  of  that 
year  a  committee  was  formed-to  carry  into  execution 
the  decisions  of  the  late  Continental  Congress  seven- 
teen of  the  members  of  that  committee,  one-fourth 
of  the  whole,  bore  Welsh  names. 

In  1774,  west  of  Pittsburg,  Colonel  Andrew  Lewis 
had  distinguished  himself  in  a  hot  conflict  with  In- 
dians along  the  Ohio  river.  He  had  a  force  of  1,100 
under  him.  Hot  as  may  have  been  that  conflict,  the 
war  with  the  Hritish  was  hotter  and  more  fierce. 

In  closing  this  chapter,  it  may  be  well  that  we 
recall  the  statement  of  the  able  and  renewed  George 
Bancroft  that  he  discovered  in  the  document  signed 
on  board  the  Mayflower  ''the  birth  of  popular  con- 
stitutional liberty"  here.  It  is  known  that  of  these 
famous  signers,  even  the  noble  men  who  sailed  with 
Captain  Jones,  there  were  four  persons  of  Welsh 
blood.  As  the  great  historian  finds  in  their  sign- 
ing a  great  truth,  so  we  find  in  Gwalia  the  clue  to 
much  that  is  characteristic  of  our  republic. 


CHAPTER  V. 


I 


A  SPECIAL,  FEATURE. 

N  the  history  of  this  country  one  is  struck  with  the 
great  prominence  of  men  of  Welsh  nationality, 
in  respect  to  this — their  part  in  establishing  and  fa- 
voring that  civil  and  religious  liberty,  which  has 
brought  imperishable  glory  to  our  republic.  It  is  sug- 
gestive that  Williams  and  Miles,  Perm  and  Jefferson, 
the  Adamses  and  the  Lees — all  men  of  Welsh  blood — 
should  have  been  foremost  in  achievements  so  heroic 
and  so  grand.  The  scholarly  Sir  William  Jones, 
whose  father  was  lx>rn  at  a  farmhouse  in  Anglesea, 
X.  \ Vales,  so  ardently  espoused  the  American  cause, 
that  he  incurred  the  hot  displeasure  of  George  III. 
Rightly  has  Hon.  Samuel  Griffiths  of  Pennsylvania 
remarked:  "Whether  in  Xew  England,  in  our  grand 
old  commonwealth,  or  in  the  Old  Dominion — the 
tnree  great  controlling  centers  of  public  thought  and 
influence  in  the  formation  and  organiation  of  our 
government — 'every  Cambrian  was  the  firm  and  con- 
sistent and  persistent  advocate  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty,  and  contributed  more  to  establish  our  gov- 
ernment on  that  firm  foundation  than  any  other  na- 
tion." All  this,  with  very  much  more  that  appears 
in  the  pages  of  this  history,  demands  some  explana- 
tion. What  is  that  explanation?  It  is  surely  this: 


IE; 8  Welshmen  as  Factors 

"Our  New  Government"  was  not  new  to  this  peo- 
ple, but  rather  a  renewal  of  the  old.  Just  such  a 
government  as  this  United  States  republic  now  en- 
joys had  been  the  heritage  of  the  ancient  Kymry;  and 
for  that  reason,  and  because  the  memory  of  Welsh 
free  institutions  still  lingered  in  the  hearts  of  Welsh- 
men, they  came  hither  to  escape  the  tyranny  of  the 
English  Church  and  State,  and  to  plant  the  stand- 
ard of  freedom  upon  this  western  hemisphere!  At 
any  rate,  if  this  interpretation  and  claim  be  reject- 
ed we  challenge  the  rejectors  to  furnish  some  other, 
equally  deserving  the  respect  of  such  as  have  sound 
sense.  Most  heartily  do  we  accept  the  statement 
made  by  Dr.  Alexander  Jones  in  the  "Address"  of 
1855:  "Jf  we  wish  to  trace  the  origin  of  the  princi- 
ples *  *  *  *  proclaimed  in  the  American  Dec- 
laration of  Independence,  we  must  go  back  to  the 
laws  of  the  ancient  Britons.  *  They  guaran- 

teed equality  of  civil  and  religious  rights  and  secured 
the  pursuit  of  life,  liberty  and  happiness."  Macaulay 
says:  "Penn's  'notions'  were  not  common  in  his  day; 
and  yet  we  know  they  wrere  not  'experiments,'  as  this 
author  claims,  for  they  were  'tried  and  true.'  "  In  the 
interest  of  historic  verity,  we  affirm  that  our  new  gov- 
ernment echoes  the  Welsh  ideas  of  early  times.  We 
guess  not — but  know.  "The  Cymry,  since  the  time 
of  Caesar,  at  least,  had  been  in  the  habit  of  consid- 
ering their  country  a  confederacy,  and  electing  one 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  159 

of  their  prominent  and  most  worthy  sovereigns  as 
pen-dragon,  or  Wledig,  i.  e.,  head  chief  or  emperor, 
to  manage  and  discharge  the  duties  of  their  national 
arfairs."  (Powell's  History,  Book  III.,  Chapter  II.) 
Not  wisely  has  H.  J.  Hastings,  in  his  "Ancient  Amer- 
ican Politics,"  written  thus:  "The  history  of  every 
colony  shows  that  the  early  settlers  instinctively  de- 
veloped tendencies  to  organize  into  bodies  politic.  By 
force  of  circumstances,  they  became  politicians,  or- 
ganizers,  partisans,  legislators,  law  makers.  Many  of 
them  exhibited  rare  qualities  in  the  knowledge  and 
science  of  government.  They  ignored  the  old  politi- 
cal forms  of  the  places  in  which  they  were  born,  and 
applied  free  principles  in  a  way  and  to  an  extent  un- 
like anything  seen  in  ancient  times,  or  in  their  own 
age/'  With  this  assertion  we  agree,  in  part;  and 
again,  in  part,  very  decidedly  avow  our  dissent  there- 
from. Historic  testimony  is  not  wanting  to  prove  that 
Roger  Williams  and  William  Penn,  and  their  W'elsh 
adherents,  did  not  differ  from,  but  fell  in  with,  what 
was  "seen  in  ancient  times."  The  "free  principles," 
— civil,  political  and  moral — which  distinguished  these 
colonies,  did  but  reflect  what  had  for  ages  existed 
and  flourished  among  the  Cymry.  It  was  for  this  rea- 
son that  "the  Statute  of  Rhuddlan,"  drawn  up  in  1283, 
A;  D.,  guaranteed  to  the  Principality  of  Wales,  "its 
Judicial  Rights  and  Independence."  The  author  of 
"Letters  on  WTelsh  History,"  (p.  120-121.)  assures  us 


160  Welshmen  as  Factors 

that  Roger  Williams  "only  acted  in  conformity  with 
the  principles  of  his  race;"  and  again,  Mr.  Jenkins 
claims:  "Had  the  Declaration  of  Independence  never 
been  written,  nor  the  British  colonies  become  inde- 
pendent States,  my  children,  who  were  all  born  in 
Pennsylvania,  would  have  known  all  about  'inalienable 
rights.'  '  It  was  because  these  doctrines  were  clearly 
"taught  in  all  ages  in  Wales"  that  this  people  were, 
ever  and  everywhere,  the  staunch  supporters  and  de- 
fenders of  "the  old  political  forms,"  which  have  given 
to  Welshmen  such  an  enviable  distinction.  It  is  for 
this  reason  that  the  "Welsh  had  more  to  do  with 
the  Revolution,  in  proportion  to  their  numbers,  than 
any  other  class."  (Letter  XVII.)  Appendix  B.  It 
was  a  man  of  Welsh  blood,  R.  H  Lee,  that  pleaded 
so  eloquently  the  justice  of  the  American  cause  be- 
fore the  Congress  of  1776,  and  that  moved  the  resolu- 
tion;, seconded  by  John  Adams,  on  the  8th  of  June. 
His  speech  was,  in  fact  and  spirit,  a  Declaration  of 
Inde'penednce.  Rising  in  his  place,  he  said:  "The 
question  is  not  whether  we  shall  acquire  an  increase 
of  territorial  dominion,  or  wickedly  wrest  from  others 
their  just  possessions,  but  whether  we  shall  preserve 
or  lose  forever,  that  liberty  which  we  have  inherited 
from  our  ancestors,  which  we  have  pursued  across  the 
tempestuous  seas,  and  which  we  have  defended  in  this 
land  against  barbarous  men,  ferocious  beasts,  and  an 
inclement  sky.  *  *  *  *  Why  then  do  we  longer 


///  the  Formation  of  tlie  Republic.  \6i 

procrastinate,  and  where-fore  these  delays?  *  *  *  * 
Since  our  union  with  England  can  no  longer  consist 
with  that  liberty  and  peace  which  are  our  chief  de- 
light, let  us  dissolve  these  fatal  ties  and  conquer  for- 
ever that  good  which  we  already  enjoy — an-  entire  and 
absolute  independence.  *  *  *  *  How  long  must 
we  traverse  three  thousand  miles  of  a  stormy  sea  to 
go  and  solicit,  of  arrogant  and  insolent  men.  either 
counsels  or  commands  to  regulate  our  domestic  con- 
cerns? Does  it  not  become  a  great,  rich  and  power- 
ful nation,  as  we  are,  to  look  at  home,  and  not  abroad, 
for  the  government  of  its  concerns?  *  *  Let 

us  suppose,  which  heaven  avert,  that  we  are  cone  [tiered 
— let  us  suppose  an  accommodation — what  assurance 
have  we  of  the  British  moderation  in  victory,  or  good 
faith  in  treaty?  They  will  load  us  with 

heavier  chains,  in  order  to  deprive  us  not  only  of 
the  power,  but  even  of  the  hope  of  again  recovering 
our  liberty  *  *  *  *  The  Americans  may  become 
faithful  friends  to  the  English,  but  subjects — never. 
Let  us,  then,  take  a  firm  step,  and  escape 
from  the  labyrynth.  *  *  *  Let  this  most  happy 
day  give  birth  to  the  American  republic."  We  have 
said  that  John  Adams  was  the  able  Seconder  of  the 
resolution  just  named.  Webster  has  preserved  to  us, 
in  substance,  the  great  speech  familiar  to  every 
schoolboy. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


WELSHMEN  AS  FACTORS  IN   SOME   SPECIAL   SERVICE   TO 
THE  REPUBLIC. 

THERE  is  much  already  written  that  might  come 
under  this  head;  and  yet  we  have  in  mind  many 
men  and  things  which   deserve^  to  be  set  apart  as 
special.  To  a  few  of  these  we  call  the  readers'  attention. 
The  theme  before  us  rather  encourages  than  for- 
bids a  passing  reference  to  some  of  our  friends  who 
aided  us  during  the  Revolutionary  struggle  which  is- 
sued in  America's     "Independence"     of     the  mother 
country.    We  name  but  one  of  these;  he  was  a  Welsh- 
man who,  though  never  in  this  country,  was  a  "factor" 
of  noticeable  value  in  the  formation  and  early  devel- 
opment of  our  republic.    We  mean  the  Rev.  Richard 
Price,  a  renowned  scholar  and  writer,  born  in  Gla- 
morganshire, S.  Wales,  in  1723.     His  book,  written 
and  published  in  the  defense  of  this  gallant  republic, 
was  issued  in  1776;  its  title  was  "Observations  on  Civil 
Liberty."     The  doctor  was  a  great  friend  of  liberty, 
civil  and  religious.    William  Pitt,  the  able  advocate  of 
our  cause,  was  a  pronounced  admirer  of  Doctor  Price, 
and  had  frequent  consultations  with  him  on  govern- 
mental matters.     Richard  Price  did  us  valuable  serv- 
ice both  by  tongue  and  pen,  and  for  the  reason  that 
he  could  not  be  unfriendly  to  the  kind  of  government 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  163 

we  were  striving  to  establish.  He  knew  full  well,  that 
those  Royal  Governors,  being  found  in  eight  out  of 
the  thirteen  colonies,  were  a  source  of  vexation  to  our 
people  and  that  feuds  and  altercations  would  nec- 
essarily arise  between  the  colonists  and  these  min- 
ions of  the  King. 

The  name  of  David  Williams,  one  of  Major  Andre's 
captors,  for  there  were  two  besides  himself,  viz.: 
Paulding  and  Van  Wert,  deserves  a  place  here.  Bene- 
dict Arnold  had  negotiated  with  that  British  officer 
for  the  surrender  of  West  Point  in  1780.  This  Will- 
iams was  not  to  be  bought,  and  to  the  Major's  offer 
of  "horse,  saddle,  bridle,  gold  watch,  and  one  hun- 
dred guineas  in  money/'  he  replied,  tauntingly: 
"Won't  you  give  us  more  than  this?"  Had  he  and 
the  other  two  been  less  bold  in  the  interest  of  their 
country,  less  true  to  its  welfare  and  its  principles,  there 
is  no  telling  what  evil  might  have  ensued.  The 
crisis  was  important,  for  this  Gibraltar  of  our  grand 
Revolution  was  saved  from  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  foe.  Congress  awarded  to  Williams  and  the  others 
silver  medals  and  a  pension  of  two  hundred  dollars 
each,  and  annually  for  this  service.* 

*  Our  "History  of  the  U.  S.  Mint,  Philadelphia,"  p.  39,  referring  to 
those  medals,  savs:  "These  medals  were  presented  to  the  three  heroes 
in  the  presence  of  the  whole  American  army,  in  1781,  by  General  Wash- 
ington, together  with  a  copy  of  the  resolution  of  Congress  awarding  them 
each  a  pension  of  $200  annually  during  life,  and  a  vote  of  thanks  for  their 
patriotic  conduct.  It  is  further  stated  that  the  medal  was  of  oblong 
shape,  on  obverse  side  a  raised  shield  surrounded  by  branches  of  laurel 
and  palm,  and  the  legend  Fidelitu;  on  reverse  side,  a  wreath  formed  of 
palm  branches,  inclosing  a  blank  for  the  insertion  of  the  name,  with  the 
legend  "Vincit  Amor  Patraio,"— Love  of  Patriotism  Conquers. 


1 64  Welshmen  as  Factors 

George  Clymer,  in  August,  1//6,  resigned  the 
office  of  Continental  Treasurer,  but  not  until  he 
had  converted  all  his  old  specie  into  the  well- 
nigh  worthless  Continental  money,  and  again,  ''he 
subscribed  liberally  to  the  loan,"  called  for  by 
the  condition  of  the  country.  In  the  mone- 
tary crisis  referred  to,  William  Williams  of  Lebanon, 
Conn.,  gave  t\vo  thousand  dollars  in  specie  for  con- 
tinental paper  money,  ''not  worth  a  Continental."  In 
this  phrase  we  find  a  specimen  of  what  is  called  "fossil 
history,"  an<l  such  history  as  rare  as  it  is  respend- 
ent. 

In  1770  "The  Massachusetts  Spy,"  so  serviceable  in 
the  Revolutionary  period,  was  being  published,  and  its 
office  went  by  the  name  of  ''Sedition  Foundry"  edited 
by  Joshua  Thomas  of  Newburyport.  So  intrepid  and 
outspoken  was  this  "Spy"  that  Governor  Hutchinson 
attempted,  but  failed,  to  indict  the  editor."  We  may 
next  expect  padlocks  on  our  lips,"  wrote  Thomas. 
This  man  took  an  active  part  in  the  Lexington  skir- 
mish, in  1775,  and  in  May  of  that  year,  issued  this 
hated  sheet,  from  Worcester,  where  he  afterwards 
founded  an  "American  Antiquarian  Society,"  which 
proved  of  great  value. 

I  )r.  Thomas  T.  Jones  was  editor  of  that  journal  of 
the  Franklin  Institute,  which  did  so  much  for  the 
republic.  He  was  a  native  of  Wales,  born  in  the  coun- 
ty of  Brecknock,  or  Brycheiniog. 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  165 

'Tis  proper  that  we  here  refer  to  Robert  Morns, 
tlie  merchant  of  great  celebrity,  and  the  banker  of 
world-wide  fame.  At  fifteen  he  was  in  the  counting 
house  of  Charles  Willing,  subsequently  in  partner- 
ship, A.  D.,  1754,  and  ere  long  became  President  of 
the  United  States  Bank,  an  institution  which  owes  its 
existence  to  this  princely  man.  For  more  ample  rec- 
ord of  this  grand  factor  than  can  be  given  in  this 
essay,  we  may  refer  the  reader  to  Hart's  "Life  of 
Morris." 

Must  efficient  aid  was  derived  from  the  exer- 
tions of  this  wealth}'  merchant  of  Philadelphia, 
whom  Congress  had  recently  appointed  Superintend- 
ent of  the  Treasury.  He  assumed  the  collection  of 
taxes,  contracted  to  furnish  flour  for  the  army,  and 
freely  used  his  own  ample  means  and  personal  credit 
to  sustain  the  government.  Marcus  Wilson,  in  his 
"History  of  the  United  States,"  part  3,  chapter  VII., 
referring  to  the  events  of  1781,  says:  'So  pressing  had 
the  necessities  of  the  soldiers  become  that  on  the 
ist  of  January  the  whole  Pennsylvania  line  of  troops, 
to  the  number  of  1,300,  abandoned  their  camp  at 
MorristO'wn,  declaring  their  intention  of  marching  to 
the  place  where  Congress  was  in  session,  in  order 
to  obtain  a  redress  of  their  grievances."  '  Meanwhile, 
these  soldiers  were  men  of  true  heart,  and  Welshmen, 
or  men  of  Welsh  blood  for  the  most  part.  When  Sir 
Henrv  Clinton  would  entice  them  into  the  British 


1 66  Welshmen  as  Factors 

service,  so  indignant  were  they,  that,  instead  of  yield- 
ing' to  the  temptation,  they  seized  their  tempters — Clin- 
ton's agents — and  "delivered  them  to  General  Wayne 
to  be  treated  as  spies."  Moreover,  they  refused  all 
reward  for  this  proof  of  their  fidelity. 

In  1736  the  famous  Francis  Lewis,  a  native  of  S. 
Wales,  arrived  in  New  York,  being  then  but  21  years 
of  age.  For  a  short  time  he  resided  in  Philadelphia, 
but  returned  to  New  York,  making  his  permanent 
residence  there.  When  in  1775  he  was  sent  to  the 
Continental  Congress,  "his  commercial  knowledge  and 
habits  rendered  him  peculiarly  serviceable  to  that 
body."  As  a  patriot,  this  signer  deserves  to  be  im- 
mortal. By  his  business  ability  he  had  amassed  a 
fortune,  which  he  "sacrificed  on  the  altar  of  patriot- 
ism." The  British  devastated  his  property,  and  made 
him  their  prisoner.  He  was  exchanged  by  the  di- 
rect interference  of  Washington.  He  lived  to  see 
within  one  day,  the  close  of  1803,  being  just  89  years 
of  age.  His  service  was  signal,  soulful,  self-sacrific- 
ing. 

Once  more  we  find  ourselves  restricted  by  the*  limits 
of  an  essay  in  treating  of  the  formation  period.  We 
have  these  facts  about  the  signer  Williams  of  Con- 
necticut, which  should  not  be  withheld.  He  served 
his  country  and  State  and  the  Republic,  after  a  good- 
ly fashion,  for  a  long  period.  This  man  was  well 
educated,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  and  a  forceful  factor. 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  167 

He  wrote  well  and  ably  on  political  affairs.  He  was 
clerk  of  Lebanon,  Conn.,  for  forty-five  years,  was  rep- 
resentative in  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut 
for  maii}r  years,  often  clerk  of  the  House,  and  not 
infrequently  its  Speaker.  In  1780  he  was  transferred 
to  the  Senate,  and  served  there  for  twenty-four  years! 
For  over  ninety  sessions,  his  seat  in  the  Legislature 
was  rarely  vacant,  except  when  in  Continental  Con- 
gress— 1776-77,  when  he  was  chosen  a  member  of  the 
National  Council.  Costly  indeed  was  our  Revolution- 
ary war  to  Williams.  He  had  many  outsanding  debts, 
but  freely  forgave  his  debtors,  impoverished  by  the 
war,  especially  the  widows  and  orphans  of  soldiers, 
who  had  fallen  in  the  Revolutionary  struggle!  In 
1779  he  put  into  the  Treasury  his  "last  mite."  Dur- 
ing the  whole  of  the  war  Williams  served  as  one 
of  the  selectmen,  whose  office  it  was  to  provide  for 
the  necessities  of  the  men  on  the  field.  At  one  time 
lie  forwarded  a  thousand  and  more  blankets.  He 
served  not  himself,  but  his  country! 

Closing  here,  the  First  Period,  covered  in  brief  and 
very  imperfectly,  we  add  a  few  words,  stating  our  con- 
ception of  the  significance  and  value  of  Welsh  Fac- 
tors in  our  Early  History  as  a  nation.  Unlike  the 
Mound  Builders  of  the  past  our  fathers  "built  better 
than  they  knew."  At  best,  they  "walked  by  faith;  not 
by  sight;"  but  their  faith  was  full  of  good  works. 

As  in  any  great  movement,  the  embrionic  and  for~ 


1 68  Welshmen  as  Factors 

m.ative  stages  are  of  immense  importance  for  future 
development;  so  the  thoughtful  reader  will  see  that 
in  forming  a  nation  such  as  ours,  very  much  depended 
on  both  men  and  methods;  in  other  words,  on  the 
"factors"  of  its  early  history,  and  their  characteristic 
principles.  Very  widely  do  "the  rickety  republics  of 
South  America,"  (Cook,)  differ  from  the  one  we  call 
our  own;  the  formative  factors  account  for  that  differ- 
ence. The  men  who  settled  in  Rhode  Island  and  the 
East,  in  the  first  half  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and 
in  Pennsylvania  and  the  South  in  the  second  half 
of  that  century,  were  men  of  a  type  essentially  sep- 
arate from  that  of  the  early  settlers  in  New  Mexico 
and  South  America.  The  strong  foundations  of  this 
towering  edifice,  the  "United  States  Republic — though 
less  imposing  and  conspicuous  than  the  superstruc- 
ture, were  indispensable  to  its  safety  strength  and  sta- 
bility. Therefore  have  we  dwelt  upon  "Welshmen  as 
factors"  here.  Lieutenant  Governor  Watres,  at  the 
St.  David's  banquet,,  held  in  1892,  at  Scran-ton,  Pa., 
well  said:  "No  history,  whether  local,  State  or  na- 
tional, which  omits  the  part  taken  by  the  Welsh 
would  be  complete."  Our  theme  is  designed  to  aid 
historians  of  some  future  day  to  "complete"  thus,  or 
more  nearly  so  the  history  of  our  government  and 
country.  In  1852  Samuel  Jenkins  wrote  in  this  wise: 
•"It  is  an  important  fact  that  the  best  principles  in 
religion  and  civil  government  in  the  new  world  were 


In  the  Formation  of  the  Republic.  169 

disseminated  by  Welsh  settlers."  Not  less  unjust  than 
unfair  is  it  to  lose  sight  of  that  fact;  and  the  subject 
before  us  has  been  placed  on  the  International  Eis- 
teddfod programme,  because  this  "fact"  has  lacked 
the  full  recognition  it  deserves.  "Facts''  are  stable  as 
well  as  "stubborn  things." 


'WILLIAM  PENN. 


PART  II. 


DEVELOPMENT. 


"Look  now  abroad — another  race  has  filled 

These  populous  borders — wide  the  wood  recedes, 
And  towns  shoot  up  and  fertile  realms  are  tilled ; 

The  land  is  full  of  harvests  and  green  meads! 
Streams  numberless,  that  many  a  fountain  feeds, 

Shine  disembowered,  and  give  to  sun  and  breeze 
Their  virgin  waters ;  the  full  region  leads 

New  colonies  forth  that  toward  the  western  seas 
Spread,  like  a  rapid  flame  among  the  autumnal  trees. 

Here  the  free  spirit  of  mankind,  at  length, 

Throws  its  last  fetters  off  !  And  who  shall  place 
A  limit  to  the  giant's  unchained  strength, 

Or  curb  his  swiftness  in  the  forward  race  ? 
Far,  like  the  comet's  way  through  infinite  space, 

Stretches  the  long  untravelled  path  of  ligh(t 
Into  the  depths  of  ages!     We  may  trace 

Afar  the  brightening  glory  of  its  flight 
'Till  the  receding  rays  are  lost  to  human  sight." — Bryant, 


THE  SECOND  PERIOD. 


WELSHMEN  AS  FACTORS. 
1789-1893. 


"The  Welsh  are  lost  sight  of  in  this  country,   because  from 
choice  they  quickly  become  amalgamated  with  our  citizens." 

— Hon.  T.  L.  James. 


"Priding  themselves  upon  being  of  the  blood  and  descend- 
ants of  the  ancient  Britons,  though  by  strangers  taken  to  be^of 
English  descent,  *  *  *  *  yet,  fully  acknowledging  their 
ancient  lineage,  and  known  by  such  names  as  Morris,  Mere- 
dith, Lewis,  Evans,  Griffith,  Merricks,  Meurig,  Williams,  and 
the  like." 

"History  of  Ancient  Britons."     Book  V.,  Ch.  iv. 


THE  present,"  says  Lord  Bollingbroke,  "enters 
into  the  future  as  a  philosophic  element,  because 
it  is  historic."  Were  this  better  understood,  historic 
records  would  be  better  preserved,  and  more  fully  ap- 
preciated. Had  a  fitting  pride  of  ancestry  been  felt 
by  all  who  have  Welsh  blood,  the  deeds  wrought 
by  Welshmen  as  ''factors,"  in  the  Civil,  Political  and 
Moral  Formation  and  Development  Periods — would 
be  "known  and  read  by  all  men."  It  is  possible  that 
some  have  been  dettered,  by  a  false  modesty,  from  do- 
ing justice  to  their  nationality.  Sometimes  a  spiteful 
and  vicious  thrust  is  made  at  such  as  desire  that 


174  Welshmen  as  Factors 

their  people  should  be  awarded  the  credit  that  they 
deserve;  "simply  that  and  nothing  more." 

When,  by  the  perseverance  of  John  Adams  and 
others,  the  "Continental  Congress"  was  displaced  by 
the  "Federal  Congress,"  our  country  began  to  take 
on  the  "development,"  to  which  we  suppose  our  theme 
especially  refers.  Not  that  the  formation  ceased  then, 
nor  that  there  was  no  "development"  prior  to  that 
time.  In  truth,  as  the  dawn  is  the  harbinger  of  day, 
and  the  day  but  the  perfection  of  the  dawn,  so  it 
was  in  the  history  before  us;  and  yet  again,  "the  for- 
mation and  development,"  the  dawn  and  day,  have 
"been  repeated  as  oft  as  new  territory  has  been  set- 
tled, and  State  after  State  has  been  added  to  the  orig- 
inal thirteen.  As  in  nature  so  in  nations,  all  growth 
that  is  normal  and  abiding  has  its  roots  and  its 
branches;  the  branches  are  fruit-bearing  by  reason  of 
<jtfheir  relations,  to  the  root  force  on  which  they  de- 
pend. 

Most  wonderful  has  been  the  growth  and  prosperity 
of  these  United  States;  and  to-day  more  than  ever 
before,  the  glowing  words  of  Colfax  are  significant: 
"From  Orient  to  Occident,  from  mountain  to  moun- 
tain, from  Atlantic  to  Pacific,  from  hundred-harbored 
Maine  to  Golden  Gate,  the  future  of  this  great  coun- 
try, if  only  prudence,  wisdom  and  right  and  peace 
shall  guide  it,  shall  be  beyond  the  portrayal  of  lan- 
guage, beyond  any  words  that  my  heart  could  de- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  175 

vise  or  my  tongue  express."  We  have  seen  that  the 
Welsh  builders  of  this  pyramidic  government  had  an 
ideal  civilization;  their  aim  was  to  secure  the  high- 
est and  best  possible.  If  as  Whittier  sang, 

"In  wide-world  wonder  listening  people  bent 
Their  gaze  on  Freedom's  great  experiment." 

this  "experiment"  but  reached  the  ideal  of  the  Welsh- 
men Williams  and  Penn,  Adams  arid  Jefferson.  The 
greatest  statesmen  have  honored  "our  fathers"  for  the 
wisdom,  the  humanity,  the  perfection,  characterizing 
the  United  States  Constitution,  designed  as  it  was  like 
the  Declaration,  "to  secure  the  blessings  of  liberty." 
It  is  "provided  with  checks  and  barriers  against  the 
introduction  of  tyranny,"  said  Lafayette,  "and  those 
•of  a  nature  less  liable  to  be  surmounted  than  any 
government."  The  Keystone  State  has  the  honor  of 
finding  the  signatures  of  Morrisses  and  of  George 
Clymer  among  the  signers  of  the  Constitution.  A 
writer  in  the  Westminster  Review  gave  his  opinion 
that  "federation  would  be  the  polity  of  the  future" 
more  generally  than  of  the  past.  Strange  that  Thomas 
Jefferson  was  so  shy  of  a  "polity"attended  by  so  many 
and  great  advantages.  The  writer  of  this  article 
claimed  that .  some  such  federation  as  exists  in  our 
broad  Republic  might  unite  the  various  States  of  Eu- 
rope and  so  usher  in  an  era  of  general  peace  and  bless- 
ing. 

The  history  of  our  country  has  brought  to  light 


!76  Welshmen  as  Factors 

the  growing  glory  of  a  "civil,  political  and  moral  his- 
tory," to  which  Welshmen  have  contributed  a  very 
creditable  share.  Tracing  this  record,  we  mark  six 
chronological  periods : 

1789  to  1801 — George  Washington  to  Thomas  Jefferson. 
1801  to  1825 — Jefferson  to  J.  Quincy  Adams. 
1825  to  1841 — J   Quincy  Adams  to- William  H.  Harrison. 
1841  to  1880 — William  H.  Harrison  to  James  A.  Garfield. 
1881  to  1888 — James  A.  Garfield  to  Benjamin  Harrison. 
1888  to  1893 — Benjamin  Harrison's  and  later. 

It  will  be  seen  that  we  have  in  mind  a  "Bridge  of 
History,"  its  spans  resting  on  Presidents  of  Welsh 
blood. 

Our  first  President  Washington,  forms  a  granite 
'abutment  on  the  nearer  shore.  The  great  bridge  is 
in  course  of  construction  still,  and  will  be  for  cen- 
turies to  come. 


FIRST  SPAN  OF  THE  BRIDGE. 


SOMK  FACTORS   FROM  1  ~8!)  TO  18O1. 

THE  treaty  of  George  III.,  acknowledging  our  in- 
dependence, was  dated  September  3,  1783.  Then 
came  the  Constitution  so  eagerly  longed  for  by  our 
first  President.  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut,  by  rea- 
son of  their  "chartered  liberties,"  had  not  adopted  this 
compact  for  two  years  after  the  other  States  had  done 
so,  and  yet  in  the  "Articles  of  Confederation,"  these 
two  had  readily  united  with  the  other  colonies;  and 


/;/  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  177 

again,  in  the  war  of  independence  these  two  had  well 
sustained  their  part.  Washington's  keen-sightedness 
foresaw  the  weak  and  unsafe  condition  of  that  ''Con- 
federacy." His  lament  was:  "We  are  one  nation  to- 
day and  thirteen  to-morrow."  He  had  a  wholesome 
horror  of  independent  republics,  such  as  have  proved 
the  bane  of  South  America. 

Not  until  the  Union  was  sealed  and  a  Federal  Gov- 
ernment established  did  foreign  nations  place  con- 
fidence in  us.  It  was  this  which  gave  us  respectability, 
by  bestowing  value  on  our  currency,  and  giving  en- 
largement to  our  commercial  relations. 

The  year  1789,  will  be  ever  memorable  as  that  in 
which  the  grand  clause  of  the  First  Amendment  bear- 
ing on  religious  liberty  was  proposed  in  Congress.  It 
reads  thus:  "Congress  shall  make  no  law  respect- 
ing the  establishment  of  religion,  or  prohibiting  the 
free  exercise  thereof."  \Vithin  that  year,  it  was  rat- 
ifid  by  three  of  the  States;  but  it  was  finally  adopt- 
ed by  the  original  thirteen.  In  this  matter  Welsh- 
men had  taken  a  lively  interest.  Robert  S.  Jones, 
Esq.,  Samuel  Davies,  Alexander  Edwards,  Esq.,  John 
Evans,  Esq.,  Rev.  Samuel  Jones,  A.  M.,  Rev.  Mor- 
gan Edwards,  A.  M.,  Abel  Evans,  Esq.,  Samuel  Miles, 
Esq.,  James  Morgan  were  among  those  appointed  by 
the  Philadelphia  Baptist  Association,  as  "a  Committee 
of  Grievances,"  touching  the  persecution  suffered  in 
New  England  during  1774.  In  Virginia,  also,  Welsh- 


178  Welshmen  as  Factors 

men,  Jefferson  being  one  with  them,  lifted  up  their 
voices  in  favor  of  religious  freedom.  A  most  he- 
roic and  devoted  advocate  appeared,  about  the  time 
our  republic  was  bom,  in  this  Old  Dominion —  Rev. 
David  Thomas,  M.  A.,  a  graduate  of  Brown  Univer- 
sity, born  of  Welsh  parents  in  the  London  Tract, 
Pennsylvania.  He  labored  faithfully  as  a  missionary 
of  the  Cross.  As  a  patriot  he  was  useful  in  moving 
the  people  of  Virginia  towards  "a  new  government." 
It  was  said  by  Dr.  Scruple,  "there  were  few  such 
men  in  the  world  in  his  day!"  He  was  the  author 
of  the  poem  denouncing  the  Union  of  the  Episcopacy 
with  the  State,  an  effusion  which  helped  to  secure 
the  adoption  of  the  amendment.* 

The  author  of  "Our  Country,"  Dr.  B.  J.  Lossing, 
wrote:  "Sufferers  from  the  oppression  of  the  State 
Church  in  Virginia  looked  to  the  wilderness  for  free- 
dom, as  the  Huguenots  and  the  Pilgrims  had  done." 
Ine  Episcopalian  clergyman,  Dr.  Hawks  writes,  "Xo 
dissenters  experienced  harsher  treatment  than  did  the 
Baptists;"  and  very  many  of  these  were  men  of  Welsh 
blood,  staunch  adherents  of  a  principle  for  which  their 

v    *  The  famous  poem  is  preserved.    We  give  a  quotation  therefrom  : 
"Freedom  we  erave  with  every  breath, 

An  equal  freedom,  or  else  death; 
******* 

Tax  all  things—water,  air  and  light, 

If  needs  be,  even  tax  the  night, 
But  let  our  brave  heroic  minds 

Move  freely  as  celestial  winds: 
Make  vice  and  folly  feel  your  rod, 

But  leave  oxir  consciences  to  God." 


/;/  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  \  79 

forefathers  had  fought  and  suffered.  Elder  John  Will- 
iams, a  native  of  Virginia,  also  espoused  the  cause 
of  religious  liberty,  and  proved"an  unyielding  cham- 
pion." He  waited  on  the  Legislature  of  the  State, 
and  did  his  utmost  to  secure  the  overthrow  of  the 
establishment,  and  the  success  of  said  amendment. 

Xext  to  the  liberty  of  a  people,  must  come  their 
commercial  prosperity  and  advancement.  Our  bridge 
of  history  will  represent  these  features  of  our  coun- 
try's growth;  but  here,  as  everywhere  in  our  essay, 
we  can  gather  but  a  few  sheaves  and  give  these  as 
samples  of  a  well  nigh  incredibly  full  crop. 

"Welshmen  as_  factors"  in  various  lines  were  not 
wanting  in  those  days. 

In  Miss  Sanford's  "History  of  Erie  County,"  'tis 
stated  that  Thomas  Reese,  Esq.,  had  been  "for  more 
than  half  a  century  a  citizen  of  Erie  county;  that  in 
1792  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Surveyor  of  District 
No.  i,  North  and  West  of  the  Rivers  Ohio,  Alle- 
gheny, and  Connewaugo  Creek."  In  this  county, 
one  of  the  first  mills  was  built  by  William  Miles,  on 
the  North  Branch  of  French  Creek.  July  25,  1796, 
a  company  was  formed  for  the  settling,  improving, 
and  populating  the  country  near  and  adjoining  to 
Lake  Erie.  Of  those  who  formed  this  stock  com- 
pany by  the  payment  of  two  hundred  pounds  in  specie, 
was  Robert  Harris,  who  was  elected  Treasurer.  *  *  *  * 

In  the     Fall  and  Winter  of     1796,  the  families  of 


180  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Thomas  Phillips,  William  Jenkins,  Theophilus  Reese, 
Evan  Roberts,  Rev.  Reese  Lloyd,  William  Griffiths, 
James  Nicholas,  Daniel  Griffith,  John  Jones,  David 
Thomas,  Evan  James,  Georgia  Roberts,  Thomas  W. 
Jones,  John  Jenkins,  Isaac  Griffiths,  and  others, 
bachelors,  commenced  settling  in  Cambria  county. 
The  following  Spring  and  Summer  the  families  of 
Revs.  Morgan  J.  Reese,*  John  J.  Evans,  William 
Reese,  Simon  Jones,  William  Williams,  (South), 
Thomas  Griffith,  John  Roberts,  (Penybryn,)  John 
Roberts,  (shoemaker,)  David  Reese,  Robert  Williams, 
George  Turner,  Thomas  Griffiths,  (farmer,)  James 
Evans,  Griffith  Rowlands,  David  Davis,  Thom- 
as Lewis  and  David  Davis,  bachelors,  followed.  *  *  *  * 
The  settlers  above  named,  we  believe,  were  all  from 
Wales.  They  commenced  making  improvements  in 
different  parts  of  what  is  nowr  called  Cambria  town- 
ship. The  name  which  the  W'elsh  emigrants  gave  to 
their  settlement,  Cambria,  was  derived  from  their  for- 
mer home.  *  The  descendants  of  the  Welsh 

are  the  principal  population  at  this  day  of  Ebensburg 
and  Cambria  Township,  while  the  settlement  extends 
to  all  the  adjoining  townships."  (History  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, p.  470-71).  The  county  seat  was  named  after 
Eben,  the  eldest  son  of  Rev.Reese  Lloyd,  who  gave 


*  Rev.  J.  T.  Griffith,  Lansford,  Pa.,  has  recently  published  a  valuable 
sketch  of  this  great  man.  Pages  32-35  give,  in  brief,  M.  J.  R.'s  discourse 
before  "officers  of  the  American  army  and  Major  General  Wayne,"  de- 
livered July  5th  1795.  This  book  has  much  historic  value. 


/;/  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  181 

the  land  and  laid  out  the  town.  Here  Welshmen 
founded  a  church  in  1797.  It  was  Congregational 
and  still  appears  in  the  Year  Book  of  that  denomina- 
tion. Rev.  T.  W.  Jones,  D.  D.,  the  honored  Home 
Mission  Secretary,  in  the  report  published  in  1895, 
thus  refers  to  this  church:  "It  has  been  from  its  or- 
ganization a  center  of  gospel  light  to  the  country 
known  as  the  mountain  county,  which  was  named  by 
the  Welsh  Cambria — meaning  Wales.  Out  of  this 
church  were  organized  two  Welsh  churches  in  farm- 
ing centers,  four  miles  from  Ebensburg,  North  and 
South.  Cambria  received  its  name  from  the  noted 
Welsh  minister,  M.  J.  Rhys,  though  as  stated  above, 
the  settlers  readily  accepted  and  retained  the  name. 
Rev.  Morgan  John  Rhys  came  to  this  country  in 
1794.  He  was  a  remarkable  man  and  a  potent  factor 
in  the  development  of  Pennsylvania.  He  and  Dr. 
Benjamin  Rush  purchased  a  large  tract  which  was 
called  Cambria,  at  that  time  in  the  far  West.  He  took 
his  family  and  settled  at  Beulah,  formed  a  church 
there  of  which  he  was  pastor.  Rev.  George  R.  Rob- 
erts also  took  part  in  this  pioneer  work.  Ebensburg, 
the  county  seat  of  Cambria,  has  its  public  buildings 
erected  on  a  site  given  by  Rees  Lloyd,  John  Lloyd 
and  Stephen  Lloyd.  By  an  Act  of  Assembly,  passed 
March  29,  1805,  the  county  seat  was  fixed  here.  John 
J.  Evans  was  one  of  the  three  trustees  who  received 
in  trust  the  fine  square  of  ground.  What  was  done 


182  Welshmen  as  Factors 

in  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  was  done  in  Cambria  coun- 
ty. Pa.,  and  many  other  places.  The  Welsh  are  dis- 
posed to  face  difficulties  and  overcome  them.  They 
take  a  worthy  pride  in  enduring-  hardship,  and  are 
truly  sons  of  toil.  In  the  Welsh  settlements  of  Ohio 
and  Wisconsin,  of  Michigan  and  Illinois,  of  Kansas 
and  Iowa,  Welsh  farmers  have  been  and  are  a  bless- 
ing to  the  Republic. 

Next  to  the  men  who  battled  with  the  foes  of  the 
government,  and  hardly  inferior  to  those  who  shoul- 
dered the  musket,  are  they  who  shouldered  the  axe. 
This  honor  had  the  Welsh  in  America.  A  few  exam- 
ples will  be  cited.  Beginning  with  the  Empire  State, 
we  find  that  Captain  Nehemiah  Jones,  father  of  the 
late  Hon.  Pomeroy  Jones,  author  of  the  "Annals  of 
Oneida  County,"  settled  there  in  1787.  The  family 
came  from  Massachusetts;  the  captain  had  been  in 
the  Revolutionary  army,  and  died  at  a  good  old  age. 
Arthur  Breese  (Ab-Rhys,)  came  from  New  Jersey  in 
1794,  and  was  of  Welsh  descent  He  settled  in  Whites- 
boro,  near  Utica.  From  Old  Wales  and  "New  Wales, 
(Penn's  Province,)  they  came  to  these  parts  and 
formed  extensive  settlements.  Utica — the  Fort  Schuy- 
ler  of  that  early  history — and  the  vicinity,  was  chosen 
by  Welsh  settlers  even  before  our  Declaration  of  In- 
dependence was  made.  Charles  Williams,  Paul  Rich- 
ards and  Levy  Stevens  had  purchased  lands  here- 
abouts in  that  early  day.  In  1795  William  P.  Jones 


In  the  Development  of  tJie  Republic.  183 

and  Griffith  Rowlands  came  hither.  In  1797  Richard 
Francis  arrived  from  Pembrokeshire  Wales,  and  was 
followed  by  John  Adams  and  Edward  Baldwin,  in 

1800.  At  that    day  but    a  few    log  houses  stood  in 
Whitesboro  and  Main  streets,  near  the  site  of  Bagg's 
hotel  of  to-day.    The  first  church  ever  formed  in  this 
city  was  the  Welsh  Baptist.     It  met  in  the  house  of 
John  Williams,  near  where  the  asylum  now  stands. 
This  was  in  June,   1801.     Elders  James  Harris  and 
John  Stevens  were  pastors.     The  Broadway  Church 
of  to-day  is  a  continuation  of  this  body.     Several  of 
those  who  arrived  in   1789  made  Philadelphia    their 
headquarters  for  a  season.     Dr.  W.  H.  Roberts  has 
written:     "Presbyterians  of  this  nationality  settled  in 
the  country  as  early  as  1684,  but  the  first  congrega- 
tion, connected  with  the  Welsh  Church  was  settled  in 
1826,  at  Remsen,  N.  Y."    ("Presbyterians,"  Chap.  23.) 

The  author  of  ''Hanes  Cymry  America,"  informs 
us  that  ''the  First  Methodist  Society  of  Steuben,  i.  e., 
Calvinistic,  or  Welsh  Presbyterian,  was  formed  in 

1801.  In  mountainous  Floyd,  Nathaniel  Thomas  of 
Cardigan,  S.  Wales,  was  a  pioneer  settler  about  the 
year  1800. 

From  these  Welsh  parts  have  come  forth  several 
great  and  good  servants  of  this  republic.  We  recall 
e.  g.,  such  men  as  Hon.  Thomas  Griffiths,  Hon.  T.  L. 
James,  Hon.  E.  H.  Roberts.  Known  to  all  are  the 
services  of  our  ex-Postmaster  General,  who  was 


184  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Postmaster  in  New  York  City  for  eight  years,  1873- 
1881.  We  are  glad  that  in  the  "Columbia"  for  No- 
vember, 1891,  there  appeared  an  article  on  Mr.  James' 
pedigree  and  activities,  from  the  pen  of  the  able  Ap 
Daniel.  Tne  author  of  the  present  essay  is  restrained, 
by  reason  of  the  fact  that  this  worthy  descendant  of 
great-grand-parents  who  came  from  Wales  to  Oneida 
as  early  as  1798,  is  one  of  the  adjudicators  thereof. 

In  that  popular  article  on  "The  Welsh  in  the  United 
States"  (see  "The  Cosmopolitan")  Mr.  James  has  re- 
ferred to  the  fact  that  this  people  "when  they  came  to 
America  and  began  to  settle  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
instead  of  taking  up  their  residence  in  the  beautiful 
and  picturesque  Mohawk  Valley,  selected  the  wild 
and  uninhabited  portions  of  Steuben,  simply  because 
it  was  mountainous  and  somewhat  like  their  native 
Wales." 

All  honor  to  those  who  endure  hardship  in  opening 
up  new  districts,  and  in  converting  the  wilderness  and 
the  solitary  place  into  a  centre  of  civilization — into 
a  scene  of  fruit  fill  ness  and  beauty.  Not  alone  in 
agricultural  pursuits  and  districts  are  seen  the  foot- 
prints of  this  nationality  ere  Jefferson  became  our 
President. 

The  records  of  the  Patent  Office  in  Washington 
bring  honor  to  the  nationality  of  which  we  write. 
Jonathan  Ellis  and  Jacob  Perkins  had  a  nail-making 
establishment  at  Amesbury,  Mass.,  in  1798;  Perkins 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  185 

having-  invented  a  machine  for  cutting  and  heading 
nails.  These  were  considered  superior  to  any  Eng- 
lish nails,  and  were  twenty  per  cent,  cheaper.  There 
was  granted  to  John  Stephens,  August  26th,  1791,  a 
patent  for  a  modification  of  steam  apparatus  to  useful 
purposes.  Gideon  Roberts  was  engaged  in  clock- 
making  as  early  as  1793,  in  Bristol,  Conn.;  and,  before 
the  Revolution,  Joseph  Hopkins  was  a  silver-smith  at 
Waterbury  in  that  State.  Robert  Williams  was  a 
member  of  the  Boston  firm,  Williams,  Wattemore  & 
Co.,  that  commenced  the  manufacture  of  card  ma- 
chinery in  1/99.  Soon  they  were  able  to  finish  two 
"hundred  dozen  pairs  weekly.  Ten  years  earlier,  the 
card  manufactury  of  Giles  Richards  was  visited  by 
Washington,  when  nine  hundred  hands  were  em- 
ployed there. 

The  first  of  Welsh  blood  that  came  to  the  Presi- 
dency of  the  United  States,  John  Adams,  wore  at  his 
inauguration,  1797,  the  first  suit  ever  made  of  Ameri- 
can goods,  and  it  cost  him  $2,000.00  in  "Continental 
money,"  which  was  then  at  a  great  discount.  The 
genius  of  the  famous  Oliver  Evans  was  useful  here. 
His  cards  for  cloth  manufacturing  were  a  great  boon. 
It  is  believed  that  George  and  Mark  Richards  of  Bos- 
ton, who  turned  out  as  many  as  12,000  dozen  cards  in 
one  year,  1793,  had  purchased  Evans'  invention.  In 
1778  he  manufactured  wire  from  American  bar-iron. 
He  also  utilized  this  wire  for  card-making,  inventing 


1 86  Welshmen  as  Factors 

therefrom  card  teeth.  These  teeth  were  made  by  ma- 
chinery at  the  rate  of  about  3,000  per  minute.  He  also 
planned  a  wire  mill,  with  machinery,  "to  make  wire  in- 
to card  teeth  as  fast  as  drawn."  Connecticut  for  four- 
teen years,  1789-1823,  granted  to  O.  Evans  the  mon- 
opoly of  the  sale  of  his  improved  machinery. 

In  1790  Thomas  James  had  started  the  Carlyle  Iron 
Works  situated  in  Cumberland  County,  Pennsylvania. 
Mr.  Thomas,  sometime  afterwards,  took  charge  of  a 
forge  in  Virginia. 

It  is  certain  that  during  this  period  men  of  Welsh 
blood  were  in  honor,  in  the  thirteen  United  States. 
Their  political  standing  and  influence  may  be  estim- 
ated by  the  many  Welsh  names  which  appear  among 
the  members  of  Congress.  It  is  worthy  of  record  that 
Kentucky,  admitted  into  the  Union  in  1792,  that 
same  year  sent  John  Edwards  as  her  first  Senator,  and 
retained  him  until  1794-5.  Taking  the  fourth  over 
the  tenth  Congress,  it  will  be  seen  that  these  repres- 
entatives were  sent  to  the  house  from  all  parts  of  our 
then  settled  country.  The  Fourth  Congress  assembled 
1795-7;  among  its  members  were  the  following  men 
of  Cymric  name.  John  Williams  from  New  York, 
Richard  Thomas,  John  Richards  and  Mathias  Rich- 
ards from  Pennsylvania,  George  Hancock  from  Vir- 
ginia, Benjamin  Williams  from  North  Carolina,  Rich- 
ard Winn,  South  Carolina. 

In  the  Fifth  Congress,  assembled  1797  to  1799,  sat 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  187 

Lewis  R.  Williams  from  Vermont,  John  Williams  and 
Lewis  Morris  from  New  York,  Richard  Thomas  from 
Pennsylvania,  William  Matthews  from  Maryland, 
Thomas  Evans  ami  Walter  Jones  from  Virginia, 
Thomas  T.  Davis  and  Daniel  Morgan  from  Kentucky, 
Robert  Williams  from  North  Carolina. 

In  the  Sixth  Congress,  assembled  1799  to  1801, 
Lewis  R.  Lewis  represented  Vermont,  Silas  Lee  and 
Lemuel  Williams,  Massachusetts;  William  Edmund, 
Connecticut;  Richard  Thomas,  Pennsylvania;  John  C. 
Tliomas,  Maryland;  Thomas  Evans,  Henry  Lee  and 
Levin  Powell,  Virginia;  Robert  Williams,  North 
Carolina;  Thomas  T.  Davis,  Kentucky;  James  Jones, 
Georgia. 

The  political  position  and  influence  of  Welsh  "fac- 
tors" at  this  time  may  be  gathered  from  the  records 
of  single  States  also.  In  the  Keystone  State,  e.  g., 
Welsh  names  appear  in  various  spheres  of  municipal 
and  legislative  activities.  Joseph  Powell  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  in  1779- 
80. 

To  the  First  Congress  under  the  Constitution, 
Richard  Thomas  was  sent  in  1788,  re-elected  1794, 
and  continued  to  serve  until  March,  1801.  He  was  a 
descendant  of  Richard  ap  Tliomas,  a  native  of  Wales, 
Avho  died  in  Philadelphia  in  1683.  The  famous  Rob- 
ert Morris  was  a  United  States  Senator  over  die  years 
1789-1795.  The  voices  of  Welshmen,  by  descent,  at 


1 88  Welshmen  as  Factors 

least,  were  often  heard  in  legislative  halls.  We  would 
gladly  furnish  specimens  of  their  great  speeches,  but 
we  dare  not  do  so  here.  In  December  5,  1796,  Thos. 
Lloyd  sent  to  Congress  a  proposal  to  write  in  short- 
hand, and  publish  the  debates  on  that  floor;  and  to 
him  are  we  indebted  for  valuable  information  con- 
cerning literary  effusions  of  this  kind. 

In  the  Keystone  Senate,  Richard  Peters  was  Speak- 
er in  1791,  Samuel  Powell  in  1792,  Anthony  Morris 
in  1794.  As  Speaker  in  the  Keystone  House  of  Rep- 
resentatives at  this  time,  Cadwalader  Evans  served  in 
1799. 

As  Moral  and  Political  Factors,  the  early  settlers 
of  Oneida  County,  N.  Y.,  were  men  of  force  and  fame. 
The  grandfather  of  Hon.  Thomas  ( iriffiths  came  from 
Carnarvon,  North  Wales,  about  the  year  1804;  yet 
earlier  was  the  arrival  of  James  Harris,  the  grand- 
father of  Hon.  T.  L.  James,  who  settled  in  this  vicin- 
ity. The  parents  of  ex-Congressman  Hon.  E.  H. 
Roberts,  late  editor  of  "Utica  Morning  Herald,"  came 
to  that  city  in  the  second  decade  of  this  century.  This 
illustrious  son  is  truly  "a  gentleman  of  whom  the 
Welsh  of  the  United  States  are  justly  proud."  It  was 
he  who  said  referring  to  the  early  history,  and  the 
time  the  Congregational  Church  of  Utica  was  organ- 
ized, 1802:  "This  was  the  frontier,  and  here  the  emi- 
grants which  founded  your  church  were  pioneers  and 
architects  of  civilization,  as  one  of  the  leading  factors 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  189 

of  the  population.  The  Welsh  people  then,  even  more 
than  now,  had  an  important  influence  in  directing  pub- 
lic sentiment." 

A  wonderful  man  was  "Priest  Jones" — Rev.  Rich- 
ard Jones,  who  settled  in  Trenton  in  the  year  1800, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  Welsh  Baptist  ministers  in  the 
Empire  State. 

Rev.  Lewis  Richards  was  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  Baltimore,  Mel.,  from  1785  to  1818;  the  Rev. 
Edmund  J.  Rees  being  co-pastor  for  the  last  three 
years,  and  again  the  sole  pastor  for  13  years. 

The  year  1795  has  a  melancholy  reminiscence,  be- 
cause on  tne  28th  of  January,  that  year,  the  renowned 
preacher,  s  holar,  and  Christian  laborer.  Rev.  Mor- 
gan Edwards  died.  "Edwards  was  a  man  of  uncom- 
mon genius.  In  his  day  no  Baptist  minister  equalled' 
him,  and  none  since  his  time  has  surpassed  him."  (Dr. 
Cathcart). 


SECOND  SPAN  OF  OUR  BRIDGE. 


JEFFERSON  TO  J.  O.UINCY  ADAMS,  18O1-18JJ5. 

At  the  opening'  of  this  administration,  Ohio, 
hitherto  a  part  of  our  North-Western  Territory, 
became  an  independent  State,  and  was  welcomed  into 
the  Union.  The  insolent  attitude  of  Spain  and  her 
utter  disregard  of  treaty  obligation*  gave  considerable 
anxiety  to  the  United  States  Government.  That  dom- 
inant power  had  closed  against  us  the  important  port 
of  New  Orleans.  Jefferson  eyed  Spain  with  growing 
distrust,  and  was  untiring  in  endeavor  to  rid  us  from 
dangers  which  might  ensue.  E ranee  having  just  ac- 
quired the  right  to  hold  Louisiana,  our  President  lost 
no  time  in  perfecting  the  important  "Purchase."  What 
is  now  kiiown  as  the  State  of  Louisiana  was  then  in 
the  Territory  of  New  Orleans,  and  the  rest  of  .the  land 
included  in  the  purchase  was  designated  the  "District 
rf  Louisiana."  This  embraced  a  vast  tract  of  country, 
stretching  far  west  to  Mexico  and  the  Pacific  Ocean, 
1,000,000  square  miles!  About  the  time  of  Jefferson's 
election  to  serve  a  second  term,  1805,  Michigan,  hav- 
ing- been  for  three  years,  one  with  the  Indian  Teritory, 
became  a  "Territory  of  the  United  States." 

It  may  be  well  to  mention  an  event  of  this  adminis- 
tration that  created  some  perplexity,  namely  the 
"Aaron  Burr  Conspiracy."  He  was  candidate  for 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  191 

Vice  President,  when  Jefferson's  name  was  on  the 
ticket  for  President  in  1800,  and  such  was  his  popular- 
ity that  he  received  an  equal  number  of  votes  in  the 
electoral  college  that  Jefferson  received.  Col.  Burr 
was  ambitious,  and  proud,  and  resentful.  His  disap- 
pointment in  failing  to  become  Governor  of  New  York 
State  so  embittered  him  that  he  shot  Alex.  Hamil- 
ton. Later  he  would  divide  our  country,  and  become 
dictator  of  a  rival  western  power.  Arrested  in  Ala- 
bama, the  scheme  of  "the  polished  and  unprincipled 
Burr''  came  to  naught. 

The  seizure  of  our  frigate  Chesapeake  by  the 
Leopard,  a  British  man-of-war,  called  forth  a  pro- 
clamation from  Jefferson,  foirbiacung  the  entrance  of 
British  war  vessels  into  our  harbors,  until  amends  be 
made  for  that  outrage.  Further  troubles  arose,,  and 
the  sky  grew  black  with  forelxxliii'gs  of  another  con- 
flict with  the  mother  country.  Ere  long,  as  "great 
events  cast  their  shadow  before  them,"  we  were  in  the 
war  of  1812,  the  event  of  the  period  now  under  review. 

For  years  prior  to  1812,  Oliver  Evans  had  manu- 
factured of  Georgia  stone  the  famous  "Burr  Mill- 
stones." As  early  as  1804  he  had  secured  patents  on 
his  steam  engines,  which  were  renewed  by  Special  Act 
of  Congress  in  October,  1815.  In  the  opening  years 
of  this  inventive  century  \ve  find  this  man  agitating 
the  subject  of  railroads  and  steam  locomotives.  He 
proposed  to  invest  his  entire  fortune  if  a  company 


192  Welshmen  as  Factors 

could  be  formed  to  test  the  enterprise.  He  has  the 
undoubted  right  to  be  called  "the  first  engine-builder 
in  the  United  States."  As  early  as  1812,  he  had  in 
operation  ten  high-pressure  engines,  from  ten  to 
twenty-five  horse  power.  These  were  in  various 
States,  Florida,  Louisiana,  Kentucky,  Mississippi, 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  and  Connecticut.  In  1812, 
Providence,  R.  I.,  had  an  Evans  engine  of  thirty-eight 
horse  power. 

Welshmen,  and  men  of  Welsh  nationality,  took  part 
in  the  development  of  our  home  industry  prior  to, 
during,  and  after  this  "second  war  of  American  inde- 
pendence." Thankful,  indeed,  are  we  that  so  many 
names  are  accessible  to  us,  and  yet,  we  feel  persuaded 
that  these  are  but  few  in  comparison,  for  the  sum 
thereof  can  no  man  find.  Looking  to  New  England 
first,  we  have  an  interesting  record  showing  that 
Welshmen  have  done  very  much  to  establish  "the 
industrial  independence  of  the  Republic."  The  adop- 
tion of  the  Constitution  became  remarkable  for  "the 
jubilant  feeling  excited  in  numerous  quarters."  From 
"Upwards  of  700  mechanics,  tradesmen,  and  others  in 
Baltimore  came  "the  first  petition  to  Congress  after 
the  ratification  of  the  Constitution,  1789.  praying  that 
the  Government  would  aid  in  making  this  country 
independent  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name,"  by  imposts 
put  on  all  foreign  .articles  which  could  be  made  in 
America.  Even  such  duties  as  would  give  a  decided 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  193 

preference  to  their  labors.  "Stimulated  by  the  Presi- 
dential message  in  1790,  the  year  following  Congress 
ordered  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  prepare  and 
report  to  this  House  a  plan  or  plans  *  *  *  for  the 
encouragement  and  promotion  of  such  manufactures 
as  would  tend  to  render  the  United  States  independ- 
ent, of  other  nations,  for  essentials  particularly  for 
military  supplies." 

In  1791,  George  Lewis  had  become  director  of  a 
company  with  5,000  shares  of  one  hundred  dollarj 
each,  "for  the  establishment  of  useful  manufactures/' 
This  company  selected  the  falls  of  the  Passaic,  Pater- 
son,  N.  J.,  for  operating  in  cotton  cloth. 

A  grandson  of  President  Edwards,  Colonel  \Yil- 
liam  Edwards,  has  the  honor  of  having  led  the  way  in 
the  important  leather  industry.  He  shipped  to  Bos- 
ton, 1794,  the  first  tanned  leather  from  Northampton. 
He  introduced  tanneries  into  New  York  State.  He 
was  the  first  to  infuse  enterprise  and  spirit  into  the 
business,  and  he  invariably  made  it  a  success.  Ed- 
wards had  worked  his  way  up  from  being  a  journey- 
man in  Elizabethtown,  New  Jersey,  where  he  earned 
but  £30  a  year,  to  be  a  manufacturer  of  great  wealth 
and  influence.  To  him,  "the  leather  manufacture  of 
this  country  is  indebted  for  some  of  the  most  valuable 
mechanical  aids  it  has  ever  received."  (Bishop).  He 
secured  three  patents  the  same  day,  October  19,  1812, 
in  the  line  of  his  business:  and  yet  another,  the  3Oth 


i94  Welshmen  as  Factors 

day  of  December.  It  is  said  the  saving  of  manual 
labor  affected  by  these  inventions  "gave  an  immense 
impulse  to  the  manufacture."  The  Hampshire  Leath- 
er Manufacturing  Company  purchased  the  Col.  Ed- 
wards' extensive  tanneries,  and  incorporated  with  a 
capital  of  $100,000.  The  works  had  a  capacity  for 
sixteen  thousand  full  grown  hides.  Mr.  Edwards 
managed  for  the  company,  and  to  his  own  profit;  with 
but  trifling  modifications  his  rolling  machines  are 
still  used  for  finishing  our  leather.  Mr.  Edwards  sent 
•from  his  tannery  as  many  as  10,000  sides  of  leather 
annually.  Our  success  in  this  industry  "must  be  as- 
cribed to  the  improved  methods  first  employed  by 
Edwards."  (Johnson's  Cyclopaedia). 

Turning  to  the  Keystone  State,  and  the  Quaker 
City  now,  the  works  known  as  Rowlands'  Saw  Works, 
were- founded  by  William  Rowlands  in  1802,  and  are 
believed  to  be  the  oldest  of  this  kind  in  the  country. 

When  Hon.  David  Humphrey  was  United  States 
Ambassador  to  the  Court  of  Madrid,  he  shipped  the 
first  considerable  importation  of  Spanish  Merino 
sheep  to  America.  This  was  in  the  year  1802.  Col. 
Humphreys  purchased  21  rams  and  70  ewes  from  one 
to  two  years  old,  and  sent  them  hither.  Eor  this  act 
he  received  the  thanks  of  the  Massachusetts  Society 
i  A  J'romoting  Agriculture,  the  trustees  meeting  being 
dated  August  28,  1802.  With  their  thanks  was  pre- 
sented a  gold  medal,  "for  his  patriotic  exertions  in  im- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  195 

porting1  to  New  England  these  sheep,  to  improve  the 
breed  of  that  useful  animal  in  his  own  country."  (See 
Miscellaneous  Works  of  D.  Humphrey,  ^th  edition,  N. 
York,  1804,  p.  225  and  346).  Eight  years  later,  at 
Humpbreysville,  Conn.,  there  was  set  up  a  woolen  mill 
for  making  cloth.  This  was  an  important  step,  for 
here  we  find  the  beginning  of  our  broad-cloth  in- 
dustry. 

In  1804,  John  Roberts  and  two  others  made  and 
sold  machines  for  cutting  chips,  or  straws,  or  strips 
of  wood,  to  make  bonnets,  hats,  brooms,  baskets, 
sieves,  matting  and  other  useful  articles  in  New  Eng- 
land. William  T.  James,  of  Greenwich,  Washington 
<Tount\-,  \e\v  York,  secured  a  patent  for  tile-cutting, 
November,  1812;  and  months  earlier  a  patent  was 
granted  Robert  N.  Richards,  Norfolk,  Conn.,  for 
manufacturing  boots  and  shoes,  and  to  James  How- 
ell,  of  Philadelphia,  for  rolling  wire.  In  August,  1814, 
James  Harrison  of  Boston  got  a  patent  on  the  time 
part  of  wooden  clocks. 

,  In  1809,  Nathaniel  Jones  received  a  patent  for  mak- 
ing wooden  combs,  and  the  next  year  David  Williams, 
"'the  third"  (Ap,  Ap,  Ap)  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  got  a 
patent  on  combs  of  ivory.  In  1815,  W.  T.  James  of 
Lansingburgh,  N.  Y.,  afterwards  of  Troy,  made  the 
stove  known  as  the  James'  stove,  a  leading  cook-stove 
for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  In  1817,  James  Richards 
of  Paterson,  N,  J.,  secured  a  patent  on  a  sailcloth 


196  Welshmen  as  Factors 

loom.  The  year  following  George  Clymer  of  revolu- 
tionary fame  invented  the  Columbian  printing  press. 
This  was  introduced  into  Old  England,  for  the  reason 
that  "it  exceeded  anything  known  to  the  trade"  in 
that  age. 

This  may  suffice  to  show  how  our  people  were  pre- 
paring for  emergencies  that  might  arise,  and  learning 
to  help  themselves,  by  laying  the  foundations  of  a 
prosperity  that  has  filled  the  nations  with  astonish- 
ment. 

About  1809,  Hon.  Richard  Peters  of  Philadelphia, 
"a  zealous  promoter  of  agriculture  and  of  the  useful 
arts,"  submitted  to  a  society  formed  to  promote  agri- 
culture, that  they  establish  a  manufacturing  ware- 
house and  repository  for  instruments  and  models,  of 
which  thus  far  no  general  factory  existed  in  these  Uni- 
ted States.  He  argued  that  this  scheme  would  both 
stimulate  and  supply  "the  already  prodigious  demand 
for  such  implements." 

May  16,  1810,  James  Davis  of  Philadelphia,  received 
a  patent  for  manufacturing  suspenders.  June  i8th, 
there  was  granted  to  Winslow  Lewis  of  Boston,  a 
patent  on  his  reflecting  and  magnifying  lantern,  adapt- 
ed for  light-houses.  Two  years  later,  Congres:. 
authorized  the  purchase  of  this  patent-right,  so  that  it 
could  be  used  by  the  Government;  and  the  light- 
houses of  the  States  and  Territories  were  to  be  sup- 
plied with  the  same.  A  contract  being  made  with  the 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  197 

inventor  for  that  purpose,  Congress  appropriated 
$60,000."  (Bishop's  History,  Vol.  II.,  Ch.  2). 

Gas-light  was  introduced  in  1818,  and  made  about 
as  great  a  stir  as  the  modern  electric  light.  William 
Gwynn  was  one  of  a  company  chartered  to  supply  the 
gas-light  to  the  city  of  Baltimore. 

In  1815,  General  Samuel  Thomas  became  owner  of 
a  tannery  and  shop  and  dwelling  house  at  Kingston, 
Pa.  He  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  here  until  his  re- 
moval to  Illinois,  when  he  sold  his  property  to  the 
father  of  the  ex-Governor  of  Pennsylvania,  H.  M. 
Hoyt. 

\Ye  add  a  few  additional  facts  which  indicate  the 
activity  of  Welshmen,  and  usefulness  of  this  nation  to 
the  youthful  Republic.  With,  and  as  a  cause  of  the 
growth  of  our  country  there  came  more  and  more  ac- 
tivity in  coal  and  iron  works. 

As  to  the  coal  industry,  it  is  well  known,  that  Brit- 
ons were  familiar  with  its  worth  for  fuel,  ere  ever  the 
Romans  invaded  their  country.  The  word  coal  is  a 
perversion  of  the  Welsh  go-losg,  the  very  name  of  this 
fuel  in  the  old  Cornish  and  the  Armorican  languages. 
The  \Velsh  word  glo  is  of  like  origin,  a  contracted 
abbreviation  of  go-losg,  i.  e.,  fit  for  fuel. 

\\  (.•  may  form  some  idea  of  our  present  coal  con- 
sumption from  the  fact,  that  of  anthracite  alone,  the 
average  demands  amount  to  fully  forty  million  tons  a 
year.  Anthracite  was  first  discovered  in  Pennsylvania 


198  Welshmen  as  Factors 

as  early  as  1791.  This  was  in  the  Lehigh  region.  It 
was  reported  in  the  "New  York  Magazine/'  February 
17,  1792.  In  an  able  paper  read  before  the  Historical 
Society  of  Pennsylvania,  in  1826,  Thomas  C.  James, 
M.  D.,  of  Philadelphia,  claims  that  he  was  the  first  to 
use  this  coal  for  domestic  purposes,  burning  it  in  one 
of  Oliver  Evans'  stoves.  This  was  in  1804;  but  a 
\Yilkesbarre  gentleman  has  a  certificate  dated  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1803, from  ^r-  Fvans,  commending  hard  coal 
as  the  best  known  to  him.  Evans'  coal  stoves  were 
now  patented,  as  suitable  for  the  consumption  of  an- 
thracite coal  as  domestic  fuel.  Maxwell  says  Robert 
Morris,  Philadelphia,  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Lehigh  Coal  Co.,  and  a  promoter  of  "the  early  im- 
provements of  the  Lehigh/'  In  how  many  ways  did 
this  man  exert  influence  and  activity  as  a  grand 
Factor? 

The  Morris  Canal  was  most  serviceable  in  convey- 
ing this  kind  of  coal  to  the  various  iron  works.  Our 
canal  boats  were  then  known  as  "Arks/'  and  were  of 
great  service  in  that  age.  Oliver  Evans'  famous  en- 
gines were  adapted  to  the  use  of  the  "black  stone," 
and  were  for  this  reason  preferred,  and  eagerly  sought 
by  all  engaged  in  this  line  of  industry. 

The  close  of  the  i8th  and  opening  of  the  I9th  cen- 
turies introduced  a  boom  of  our  coal  and  iron  indus- 
tries extending  west  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  Pa. 

Our  ex-Postmaster  General  well  savs,  "The  Welsh 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  199 

have  always  l>een  the  best  miners  and  workers  in  iron 
in  the  world.'  He  believed  that  "The  mines  of  our 
upper  lake  regions  were  probably  worked  by  the 
Welsh  in  the  i3th,  i4th  and  i5th  centuries.  Be  that 
as  it  may,  there  is  clear  and  most  unquestionable  proof 
of  the  indebtedness  of  this  Republic  to  Welsh  miners 
and  iron  workers,  who  have  from  time  to  time  been 
prominent  in  the  development  of  these  resources  of 
the  United  States.  Pennsylvania  is  a  striking-  ex- 
ample. She  is  the  leading  State  in  coal  industries. 
Her  anthracite  basins  are  specially  rich  and  produc- 
tive, and  aver  one-fourth  of  the  entire  output  of  coal 
in  our  great  country  goes  from  Pennsylvania.  Lewis 
Evans  published  a  map  of  the  Middle  Colonies  in  the 
year  1755,  and  therein  is  reference  to  coal  in  Ohio; 
but  ten  years  later,  a  coal  seam  near  Pittsburg,  was 
reported  as  on  fire,  and  burning  for  sixteen  years. 
It  is  well  known  that  in  this  century  large  numbers 
of  Welshmen  have  been  drawn  to  the  coal  fields  of 
Western  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio.  Arthur  Lee  says, 
in  his  Journal,  that  they  were  burning  coal  in  Pitts- 
burg  in  1784. 

In  "Pennsylvania  and  the  Centennial,"  it  is  stated 
that  the  first  mill  to  puddle  and  roll  iron  west  of  the 
Alleg-henies  was  built  on  Redstone  Creek,  Fayette 
County,  in  1816-17;  but  we  have  read  of  one  erected 
at  Pittsburg  in  1812,  and  afterwards  owned  and 
operated  by  R.  Bowen.  The  book  just  referred  to  in- 


2Oo  Welshmen  as  Factors 

forms  us  that  the  chief  engineer  of  the  plant  placed  on 
Redstone  Creek  was  Thomas  C.  Lewis,  assisted  by  his 
brother  George  Lewis,  turner  and  roller  at  these 
works.  We  are  assured  that  these  "were  Welshmen," 
and  furthermore,  that  "being  skilled  workmen."  they 
had  to  smuggle  their  passage  to  this  country,  as  they 
"were  prohibited  by  an  English  statute  from  leaving 
their  native  country." 

In  the  Buckeye  State  how  full  of  faith  and  interest 
was  that  settlement  of  the  Welsh  Hills,  a  tract  of  2,000. 
acres  purchased  by  Messrs.  Thomas  Phillips  and 
Theophilus  Reese,  both  natives  of  \Vales.  The  pur- 
chase was  made  of  Samuel  Davis,  a  Welsh  Philadel- 
phia dealer  in  \Vestern  lands.  This  purchase  was  in 
what  is  now  known  as  Granville  Township,  Licking 
County.  The  present  \Velsh  Hills  is  a  very  small  por- 
tion only,  in  the  centre,  of  the  district  thus  designated 
in  earlier  times.  The  date  of  tnis  purchase  was  1801. 
Ine  following  year  Reese  took  his  family  thither,  ac- 
companied by  David  Lewis  and  Simon  Jones.  Mr. 
Reese  was  a  Baptist  from  South  Wales,  and  hence  the 
Welsh  Baptist  Church  built  in  1809.  In  the  year  of 
1803,  Mr.  Reese'  partner  in  this  purchase,  Phillips, 
came  to  ( >hio,  but  died  after  a  residence  of  about  three 
years.  This  Phillips  was  the  father  of  John  H.  Phil- 
lips, and  a  man  of  wealth  in  Glamorganshire.  South 
Wales,  who  had  followed  his  three  sons',  John  H.,  and 
two  younger  brothers.  John  H.  fled  to  this  country  to. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  201 

avoid  the  consequences  of  writing  certain  seditious 
matter.  It  was  he  who  subsequently  served  on  Wayne's 
staff  in  an  expedition  against  the  Indians,  1792.  The 
influence  of  Chaplain  David  Jones  had  gained  for  the 
Welshmen  this  important  position.  Phillips'  sons,  J. 
H.  and  Samuel  J.,  with  four  sons-in-law,  received  one 
hundred  acres  a  piece  from  Mr.  Phillips,  Sr.  Mr. 
Reese  also  surrounded  himself  with  sons  and  sons-in- 
law,  even  "Big"  Davy  Thomas  and  "Little"  Davy 
Thomas.  The  Reeses  came  from  Beulah,  Cambria 
County.  The  (iranville  Colony  arrived  here  from  East 
Granville,  Mass.,  in  1805.  It  has  been  said,  "Ihe  early 
Welsh  settlers  of  this  county  could  have  settled  on 
the  then  unoccupied  lands  around  Newark,  or  in  the 
broad  bottom  of  the  Licking  River,  east  of  Ne\vark, 
where  the  old  Indian  corn  fields  were,  had  they  so 
desired,  but  they  chose  here,  as  elswhere,  the  hills,  and 
consequently  folloAved  up  the  stream  to  the  wrest.  Here 
they  found  a  country  the  topography  of  which  was 
more  congenial  to  their  nature,  a  veritable  "Little 
\Vales"  transplanted  to  America.  Xot  only  here  but 
in  (iallia  and  Raccoon  Counties,  whither  some  of 
these  people  moved  at  an  early  day,  the  wilderness  has 
blossomed  like  the  rose.  Another  early  settlement  of 
importance  was  Radnor,  lying  north  of  the  State 
Capital,  Columbus.  Visiting  this  place  over  forty- 
five  years  ago,  we  well  remember  the  story  told  by  a 
then  wealthy  fanner.  Mr.  Williams,  relating  how  he 


2O2 


Welshmen  as~  Factors 


bought  government  lands  at  but  twenty-five  cents  an 
acre,  and  had  to  secure  these  on  credit.  Here  was  a 
pioneer  Welshman  having  nothing  but  the  will  to 
work,  and  strength  to  execute  that  will  with  which  to 
start  life.  Between  this  village  and  Delaware,  famed 
for  its  educational  advantages  and  its  Welshmen,  and 
its  mineral  springs,  are  many  miles  of  farm-lands, 
which  tell  of  just  such  brain  and  muscle.  When 

"O'er  the  shadowy  past, 
Like  a  tomb  searcher, 
Memory  ran," 

these  Welsh  pioneers  told  me  thrilling  tales  of  hard- 
ships met  and  mastered.  For  a  score  of  years,  there 
has  existed  in  Central  Ohio  a  "Welsh  pioneer  Asso- 
ciation," whose  origin  is  traced  to  T.  J.  Thomas  of 
Granville.  Year  by  year,  thousands  of  this  people  are 
seen  attending  its  meetings.  In  the  Youngstown  Fair 
grounds,  1863,  large  numbers  gathered  to  a  fes- 
tival by  the  Western  Reserve  settlers.  David  Owens, 
'Esq.,  Sodom,  ().,  was  President,  and  Joshua  Davis, 
Esq.,  Crab  Creek,  Vice  President.  The  Western  Re- 
serve* has  many  places  bearing  Welsh  names,  Rad- 
nor, Gomer,  etc. 

Of  Welshmen  who  came  to  Utica  and  Steuben  at  an 
early  date,  many  in  later  years  migrated  into  other 
counties — Lewis,  Herkimer,  St.  Lawrence,  Madison, 
Oswego,  and  Cattaraugus.  There  was  a  constant  flow 

*  §  666,000  acres  once  claimed  by  Connecticut  under  Chester  in  1662. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  203 

of  this  tide  westward  between  the  years  1800  and  1850. 
This  people  greatly  increased  by  immigrations  from 
Wales.  The  good  and  faithful  well-skilled  blacksmith, 
Benjamin  Jones,  recently  deceased,  in  Richneld,  Law- 
rence County,  was  among  the  earliest  Welsh  settlers 
there.  He  was  a  native  of  South  Wales.  Pomeroy 
Jones  in  "Annals  of  Oneida  County,"  p.  306,  says  that 
in  1808,  five  new  settlers  "fresh  from  the  mountains  of 
Wales''  settled  in  R ems-en  township,  and  that  by  their 
report  so  many  wrere  induced  to  come  hither  that 
"these  ancient  Britons"  formed  ere  long  "at  least 
three-fourths  of  the  population"  there.  Mr.  Jones  eu- 
logies their  skill  as  farmers,  and  their  morality  and 
religion.  Here  the  churches  in  1851  were  "all 
Welsh,"  and  at  that  date  Steuben  township  had  "six 
Welsh  churches." 

We  recall  certain  political  factors,  and  rejoice  to  find 
so  many  Welsh  names. 

The  Seventh  Congress  assembled  1801  to  1803, 
•\vhen  Lewis  R.  Morris  represented  Vermont,  Silas 
Lee  and  Lemuel  Williams  Massachusetts,  Thomas 
Morris  and  David  Thomas  New  York,  William  Jones 
Pennsylvania,  William,  Williams  North  Carolina, 
Thomas  T.  Davis  Kentucky. 

In  the  Eighth  Congress,  assembled  1803  to  1805, 
Massachusetts  was  represented  by  Silas  Lee  and 
Lemuel  Williams,  New  York  by  Thomas  Morris  and 
David  Thomas,  Pennsvlvania  bv  Jacob  Richards  and 


204 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


David  Thomas,  Virginia  by  Walter  Jones  and  Joseph 
Lewis,  North  Carolina  by  Thomas  Wynn  and  M.  Wil- 
ianis,  South  Carolina  by  Richard  Wynn, 

The  Ninth  Congress,  assembled  1805  to  1807, 
when  Caleb  Evans  represented  New  Hampshire, 
David  Thomas  and  Nathan  Williams  New  York,  John 
Pugh  and  Jacob  Richards  Pennsylvania,  W'alter  Jones 
and  Joseph  Lewis,  Jr.,  Virginia,  M.  Williams  and 
Thomas  Wynn  North  Carolina,  David  R.  Williams 
and  Richard  Wynn  South  Carolina,  Edward  Lloyd 
Maryland. 

The  Tenth  Congress,  assembled  1807  to  1809,  when 
John  Harris,  Reuben  Humphreys  and  David  Thomas 
^represented  New  York;  John  Pugh,  Jacob  Richards, 
and  Mathias  Richards  Pennsylvania;  Edward  Lloyd 
Maryland;  Walter  Jones  and  Joseph  Lewis,  Jr.,  Vir- 
ginia; M.  Williams  North  Carolina;  David  R.Williams 
and  Richard  Wynn  South  Carolina.  In  this  Congress 
Jesse  B.  Thomas  was  Delegate  from  the  Indian  Ter- 
ritory, and  presented  his  able  report  on  the  division 
of  that  Territory. 

In  the  Eleventh  Congress,  1809  to  1811,  it  was 
stated  that  James  Lloyd,  Jr.,*  appeared  for  his  State, 
Massachusetts,  "for  six  years/'  commencing  the 


*  He  had  previous  to  this  taken  his  seat  as  substitute  for  J.  Q.  Adams 
•who  had  resigned.  Lloyd  made  his  mark,  and  his  fame  had  spread 
abroad;  his  addresses  were  very  creditable  to  his  State,  his  office  and  his 
nationality,  especially  that  on  Non-Intercourse  with  Britain,  delivered 
February  aist,  1809.  "When  in  June  following,  this  bill  came  before  the 
House  of  Representatives,  it  secured  72  yeas  and  but  15  nays.  Of  the 
nay  names  not  one  was  Welsh.  He  made  a  great  speech,  February  loth, 
1811,  on  "Incorporating  a  Bank  of  the  United  States. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  205 

fourth  clay  of  March,  1809.  This  was  an  appointment 
for  Senator,  an  office  held  by  many  Welshmen  from 
time  to  time.  He  was  returned  for  two  terms,  at  a 
later  date,  1822-1826. 

In  March,  1817,  John  Quincy  Adams  was  appointed 
under  Monroe,  Secretary  of  State. 

Coming'  to  a  crisis  in  the  history  of  our  young  Re- 
public we  note 


THE  WAR  OF  jSi2. 

The  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  on  the  Hud- 
son river  had,  prior  to  1803,  Major  Jonathan  Williams 
for  President.  In  1801  this  able  man  published  a 
work  entitled,  "Elements  of  Fortifications."  He  was 
elected  to  Congress  in  1814,  and  known  as  Colonel 
Wrilliams. 

The  cost  of  this  war  may  be  gathered  from  the  fol- 
lowing comparison  of  the  public  debt  before  and  after 
that  conflict.  From  $45,209,737.90  in  1812,  it  in- 
creased to  $127,334,965.16  in  i8id.  On  the  ether 
hand,  the  profits  of  this  war  were  almost  beyond 
comparison.  It  .is  generally  SO',  minus  the  irreparable 
loss  of  life. 

As  to  the  effect  of  the  tariff  laws  of  1812  on  Ameri- 
can interests,  Hon.  James  G.  Elaine  remarks:  "Im- 
portations from  England  being  absolutely  stopped  by 
reason  of  the  war,  and  in  large  part  excluded  from 
.other  countries  bv  high  duties,  the  American  market 


206  Welshmen  as  Factors 

was,  for  the  first  time,  left  substantially,  or  in  large 
degree,  to  the  American  manufacturers/'  Under  the 
stimulus  of  "the  extraordinary  rate  of  duties  manu- 
factures rapidly  developed  throughout  the  country. ' 

One  fact  is  transparent,  that  in  1814,  our  commerce 
was  almost  exclusively  internal.  A  comparative  table 
will  make  this  clear.  The  war  being  at  its  height, 
we  find  that  in  1814,  our  imports  were  $12,965,000; 
our  exports  $6,927,441,  whereas  these  stood  in  1812 
thus,  imports  $77,030,000,  exports  $38,527,236;  and 
again  in  1816,  thus,  imports  $147,103,000,  exports 
$81,920,452. 

In  this  "Second  War  of  Independence"  it  is  note- 
worthy that  the  British  defeat,  as  far  as  the  battle  was 
inland,  occurred  on  the  very  soil  Jefferson  had  so 
wisely  secured  to  us,  just  nine  years  earlier. 

As  aforetime,  Welshmen  were  not  slow  to  respond 
.  to  their  country's  call,  and  several  veterans  of  the 
former  war  were  prepared  to  face  this  crisis;  e.  g., 
General  Isaac  Shelby,*  "whose  ancestors  came  from 
Wales,"  marched  to  Lake  Erie  at  the  head  of  6,000 
volunteers.  For  brilliant  military  skill  he  received 
from  Congress  a  gold  medal;  and  President  Monroe 
proffered  him  the  office  of  Secretary  of  War.  Again, 
the  Army  of  the  West  was  under  the  command  of  a 
man  of  Cymric  blood,  General  William  H.  Harrison, 

*  The  late  Lossinj?  claimed  for  this  General  "Welsh  lineage,"  albeit, 
the  name  is  not  Welsh,  it  is  found  in  Wales  to-day.  Isaac's  father  was. 
Evan  Shelby. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  207 

a  son  of  Benjamin  Harrison,  the  Virginia  delegate 
to  the  Congress  of  1774,  and  one  of  the  signers  of 
the  Declaration.  This  General,  called  "The  Hero  of 
1812,"  was  elected  to  the  Presidency  of  the  United 
States  in  1841,  when  '  the  rallying  cry  of  the 
party  was,  "The  Hero  of  the  Thames  and  of  Tippe- 
canoe!"  Hafrison  received  234  of  the  electoral  votes, 
whilst  Van  Buren,  his  opponent,  received  but  60. 
At  his  inauguration  he  was  surrounded  by  veterans 
who  had  fought  under  him.  In  one  month  after  his 
inauguration,  this  good  ^ian  was  called  hence.  Colonel 
Lewis  took  part  in  the  campaign,  and  so  did  Colonel 
David  Humphreys,  the  "poet  and  historian,"  who 
had  in  1812  command  of  the  Connecticut  militia,  and 
would  have  taken  part  in  the  fight  had  not  disease 
terminated  his  days  just  then.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  General  Richard  Wynn  ,who  died  in  Tennessee 
before  1813.  Samuel  Williams,  born  in  Carlisle,  Pa., 
1786,  served  in  two  campaigns  of  the  War  of  1812. 
When  in  1814,  the  British  would  have  burned  the 
government  buildings  in  Washington,  he  was  con- 
nected with  the  General  Land  Office,  and  "largely 
assisted  in  saving  the  archives  of  the  office."  When 
General  John  Davis,  lately  married,  was  summoned 
to  the  field,  the  blood  of  his  brave  father  was  stirred 
in  him,  in  view  of  the  wrongs  suffered  from  Great 
Britain  and  the  dangers  which  threatened  our  nation. 
He  had  acquitted  himself  bravely  as  ensign  in  La- 


2o8  Welshmen  as  Factors 

fayette's  Light  Infantry,  aforetime.  In  1814  he  vol- 
unteered his  service  and  marched  to  the  defense  of 
Washington.  His  name  headed  a  roll  of  riflemen, 
among  whom  he  held  the  position  of  ensign.  His 
influence  among  his  neighbors  and  friends  had  called 
forth  the  said  "roll."  For  thirty-five  years  he  re- 
mained in  the  State  Militia  of  Pennsylvania,  and  filled 
every  position  from  Captain  to  Major-General.  Of 
the  forces  from  Kingston,  Pa.,  Samuel  Thomas  was 
Captain,  Absolom  Roberts  and  Henry  Jones  were 
Sergeants,  Stephen  Evans  was  Gunner.  In  the  rally 
of  1814,  when  Baltimore  was  threatened,  Robert 
Reynolds  was  ensign  in  the  45th,  and  in  the  ii2th 
Abraham  Roberts  and  Moses  Phillips  were  Lieuten- 
ants. May  4th,  1812,  the  Huntington  Volunteers 
tendered  their  services  to  the  President,  and  a  com- 
pany, under  Captain  William  Morris,  went  forth  to 
the  war.  Cambria  County  furnished  two  companies 
for  this  war.  In  1812,  Lehigh  District  furnished 
troops;  in  one  company  were  Freeman  Price,  David 
Evans,  Obediah  Morris,  William  Davis,  Samuel 
Reese,  John  Adams. 

This  wras  for  the  most  part  a  naval  contest.  It  was 
so  because  our  young  Republic  was  summoned  to  de- 
fend her  ships  and  seamen  against  foul  depredations 
practiced  by  British  men-of-war.  According  to  the 
Constitution  of  these  United  States  (Article  I.,  Sec- 
tion 8)  to  Congress  was  given  the  power  to  de- 


In  the  Development  of  tJie  Republic.  209 

clare  war,"  and  to  "raise  and  support  armies."  These 
powers  were  now,  under  the  administration  of  James 
Madison,  called  into  exercise.  Our  former  foe  must 
again  be  met  and  fought,  and,  if  possible,  defeated  and 
put  to  flight.  Jacob  Jones  was  Commander  of  the 
war-ship  called  the  "Wasp."  November  24th,  1812, 
he  wrote  Hon.  Paul  Hamilton  a  vivid  description  of 
the  terrible  engagement  which  resulted  in  the  sur- 
render of  the  "Frolic,"  a  British  man-of-war  of  supe- 
rior equipment  and  force.  The  battle  was  of  short 
duration,  but  of  terrible  energy.  When  a  still  larger 
British  vessel,  the  "Poictiers,"  captured  the  Wasp" 
on  the  i8th  of  October,  she  was  "a  wreck  from  dam- 
ages received  in  the  engagement  with  the  British 
sloop-of-war  '"Frolic."  The  '"Frolic"  had  six  times  as 
many  killed  as  the  "Wasp"  had,  and  about  nine  times 
as  man\-  wounded.  Of  those  who  .fell  in  a  conflict 
between  his  Britannic  Majesty's  ship  "Macedonian," 
and  the  United  States  ship,  "United  States,"  John 
Roberts  was  among  the  killed,  and  William  James 
among  the  wounded.  Lieutenant,  afterwards  Com- 
mander T.  ap  Gatesby  Jones,  had  a  small  squadron 
of  five  American  gunboats  ''down  south"  near  New 
Orleans.  He  was  called  upon  to  engage  the  formida- 
ble British  forces  there.  In  December,  1814,  after  a 
hard  fight,  he  was  compelled  to  surrender.*  Tae 

*  For  some  reason  men  not  of  Welsh  blood  have  occasionally  assum- 
ed a  Welsh  name,  and  so  the  naval  officer,  of  fame  in  this  war,  Paul  Jones, 
has  been  quoted  as  of  Welshmen.  His  proper  name  was  John  Paul.  See 
Shippen's  Naval  Battles.  Chap.  xiv. 


2io  Welshmen  as  Factors 

venerable  Rev.  David  Jones  was  again  Chaplain  un- 
der Generals  Brown  and  Wilkinson,  and  served  in 
that  office  to  the  close  of  the  war.  In  1813-4,  William 
Jones,  born  in  1760,  was  Secretary  of  the  United 
States  Navy.  Congress  was  somewhat  divided  in  re- 
ference to  the  necessity,  the  wisdom  and  the  conduct 
of  this  second  conflict  with  Great  Britain.  It  should 
be  remembered  that  in  the  House  of  Representatives, 
Hon.  David  R.  Williams,  South  Carolina,  was  an  elo- 
quent defender  of  the  war,  even  against  Josiah  Quincy 
of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Williams  as  Chairman  of  the 
Military  Comniitte  said,  "Well,  sir,  was  there  ever  a 
crisis  calling  on  a  people  for  vigorous  exertions  more 
awful  than  that  which  impends  over  us  now? 
Are  we  to  be  told  that  we  are  espousing  an  atrocious 
principle,  because  we  are  seeking  for  the  means  to 
defend  our  country?  *  *  *  Does  the  gentleman 
say  it  was  'atrocious'  in  1798,  to  defend  ourselves 
against  the  French?  But  it  has  become  so  now,  seeing 
the  defence  we  seek  is  against  the  English." 

In  the  early  part  of  this  year,  February  27th,  1812, 
and  with  a  view  of  preparing  for  this  war,  James 
Lloyd,  Jr.,  Senator  from  Massachusetts,  thus  pleaded 
for  an  increase  of  the  navy:  "It  is  my  intention,  sir, 
to  move  for  twenty  new  frigates.  *  ;  *  I  am  bound 
to  believe  that  unless  redress  be  obtained  it  is  the  de- 
termination of  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
to  enter  into  an  actual,  vigorous,  real  war,  at  any  rate, 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  2 1 1 

to  put  the  nation  into  a  perfect  state  of  readiness  to 
commence  it,  should  it  be  necessary,  and,  in  either 
of  these  cases,  an  efficient  naval  force  is  as  indispens- 
able, nay  more  indispensable  than  a  land  force.  In 
the  year  1793,  when  Great  Britain  depredated  upon 
our  commerce,  you  had  a  man  at  the  head  of  your 
Government,  who  fought  no  battles  with  'paper  reso- 
lutions,' nor  attempted  to  wage  war  with  'commercial 
restrictions,'  although  they  were  then  pressed  upon 
him.  He  caused  it  to  be  distinctly  and  with  firmness 
made  known  to  Great  Britain  ,  that  if  she  did  not  both 
cease  to  violate  our  rights,  and  make  reparation  for 
the  wrongs  we  had  sustained,  that  young  and  feeble 
as  we  then  were,  just  in  the  gristle,  and  stepping  from 
the  cradle  of  infancy,  we  would  try  the  tug  of  war  with 
her.*  What  was  the  consequence?  Her  depredations 
were  stopped.  We  made  a  treaty  with  her  under 
which  we  enjoyed  a  high  degree  of  prosperity. 
Our  claims  were  fairly  heard,  equitably  adjusted,  and 
the  awards  were  honorably  and  punctually  paid  to  the 
sufferers.  In  this  instance  you  did  something  for 
commerce."  \Ve  would  be  glad  to  quote  more  fully 
from  this  great  ringing  speech;  out  the  reader  may 
find  it  in  Volume  IV.  of  "Abridgment  of  Debates  of 

*  When  Franklin  was  embassador  in  France,  as  toasts  were  being 
given  at  a  banquet  by  the  English  embassador,  "To  Glorious  Old  Eng- 
land who,  like  the  sun,  warms  and  cheers  the  nations  of  the  earth;"  by  a 
French  officer,  "To  Glorious  Old  France  who,  like  the  moon,  keeps  in 
check  the  burning  rays  of  the  sun,  lest  it  consume  the  nations;"  Franklin 
said,  "To  George  Washington  who,  like  Joshua  of  old,  commanded  the 
sun  and  moon  to  stand  still,  and  they  obeyed  his  voice."* 


212 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


Congress."  There  are  also  other  speeches  from 
which  we  would  be  pleased  to  give  extracts,  that  of 
Jonathan  Roberts,  and  those  of  General  George  Mat- 
thews, etc.,  but  our  space  bids  us  shun  this  tempt- 
ation. On  a  question  of  considerable  interest  we  refer 
the  reader  to  Appendix  C. 

This  is  not  the  place  to  set  forth  the  casns  belli  of 
that  period.  It  may  suffice  to  say  that  the  Republic 
came  oiit  of  that  war  not  only  with  credit,  but  vastly 
profited,  and  that  while  State  Banks  failed,  "The  Bank 
of  Xorth  America"  failed  not.  The  war  served  to 
call  forth  and  develop  our  patriotic  spirit;  it  gave  to 
us  a  stronger  hold  on  the  respect  of  European  nations. 
It  discovered  the  latent  energy  and  enterprise  of  our 
Republic,  it  gave  a  new  impulse  to  immigration,  and 
paved  the  way  to  the  occupation  of  vast  unsettled  dis- 
tricts within  our  wide  domain.  "The  war  of  1812  had 
satisfied  Britain  that  she  could  gain  nothing  by  going 
io  war  with  the  United  States;  that  war  had  re- 
flected the  highest  honor  upon  our  navy,  while  on 
land  we  had  demonstrated,  if  not  the  absolute  impos- 
sibility, certainly  the  serious  difficult  and  danger  of 
an  invasion  of  our  soil  by  any  foreign  power." — 
Blaine. 

What  is  known  as  the  "Treaty  of  Ghent"  'was  rati- 
fied by  Great  Britain  January  27th,  1815,  and  by  our 
Government  on  the  I7th  of  February. 

To    some'  of   the  moral   factors    of   this    period,    a 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  213 

passing"  reference  must  be  made.  Rev.  T.  Roberts 
came  from  Wales  in  1803.  Four  years  later  he  was 
baptized  by  Rev.  J.  Stephens,  New  York.  Having 
studied  under  Dr.  Staughton,  he  served  the  Great 
Valley  Church  for  seven  years,  and,  later,  Mr.  Rob- 
erts went  to  labor  among  the  Cherokee  Indians. 
Settling  at  Middleport,  N.  J.,  he  was  useful  in  tem- 
perance and  church  work;  hundreds  were  added  to 
the  church  here  through  his  agency. 

These  years  became  remarkable  for  the  death  of 
useful  men.  as  Rev.  Evan  Pugh  in  1805;  Rev.  David 
Owen  in  1805;  Rev.  Lewis  Collins  in  1806.  Rev. 
Josepn  Roberts  went  to  Georgia  in  1803,  and  was 
eminently  successful  for  many  years  there. 

A.  D.  1818  was  marked  by  the  coming  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Powell,  who  preached  the  gospel  east  and 
west  with  much  success,  especially  in  Indiana  was  he 
a  factor  of  great  efficiency  on  moral  lines.  Three 
years  later  than  the  arrival  of  Air.  Powell,  the  father 
and  the  famed  Thomases  landed  in  Philadelphia.  Dr. 
Thomas,  Zanesville,  O.,  Dr.  Thomas,  President  of 
Judson  University,  Arkansas,  with  other  three  bro- 
thers proved  a  great  blessing  to  religious  circles  and  to 
our  Republic.  These  five  brothers  were  able  preach- 
ers. 

Rev.  A.  Griffiths,  a  native  of  Montgomery  County, 
was  for  a  period  of  well-nigh  fifty  years,  a  distin- 
guished member  of  the  Baltimore  M.  E.  Conference. 


214  Welshmen  as  Factors 

In  1816  he  was  a  delegate  to  the  General  Conference, 
and  seven  times  afterwards  was  he  so  honored. 
Several  years  he  was  Secretary  of  the  Baltimore  Con- 
ference; four  times  was  he  presiding  elder  in  that 
Conference. 

In  1807  Rev.  Walter  Morgan,  a  native  of  Mont- 
gomery, Pa.,  became  a  local  preacher  of  the  M.  E. 
Church.  He  was  a  rising  man,  and  in  1819  was  ap- 
pointed Presiding  Elder  of  the  Miami  District,  Ohio, 
including  the  city  of  Cincinnati  and  vicinity.  He  died 
in  1822. 

Rev.  John  Davis  of  Virginia,  on  one  circuit,  in  the 
year  1818,  was  the  instrument  in  the  conversion  of 
about  one  thousand  persons. 

Rev.  Robert  Thomas  Daniel,  son  of  Samuel  Daniel 
and  wife  (Eliza  Thomas  of  Carolina  County,  Va.)  was 
born  June  17,  1773.  After  the  war,  this  family  re- 
moved to  North  Carolina.  This  was  the  fifth  son;  for 
many  years  he  was  an  earnest  preacher  of  the  gospel, 
organizing  several  churches.  His  own  record  of  his 
thirty-seven  years  labor  is  thus  given:  "I  traveled  for 
the  purpose  of  preaching  the  gospel  about  60,000 
miles,  preached  upwards  of  five  thousand  sermons, 
baptized  more  than  1,500  people."  Many  were  led  to 
enter  the  ministry  through  this  man's  influence. 

The  Rev.  Joseph  Matthias  of  Hilltown,  Pennsylvan- 
ia, born  in  Bucks  County,  and  ordained  in  1806,  spent 
forty-six  years  in  the  Christian  ministry:  it  would  be 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  215 

impossible  fully  to  estimate  the  power  of  such  a  life 
as  his.  Rev.  John  Thomas  also,  whose  father  arrived 
from  Wales  in  December,  1713,  was  very  useful  on 
this  field,  the  membership  of  the  church  being  fully 
doubled  within  three  years.  Moreover,  it  is  known 
that  from  this  neighborhood,  "many  emigrated  South 
and  West,"  carrying  with  them  the  moral  effects 
wrought  on  their  hearts  here. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Watkins  was  converted  in  1776, 
when  but  twenty-one  years  of  age,  and  was  for  48 
years  an  earnest  and  efficient  minister.  It  is  esti- 
mated that  lie  preached  over  six  thousand  sermons, 
and  led  multitudes  into  a  better  and  higher  life. 

Of  the  Factors  on  "Moral"  lines  much  may  be 
written,  but  we  confine  ourselves  to  just  a  few  of  these. 
Rev.  B.  Williams  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  was  in  the  war  of 
1812;  his  son  also  was  a  "fighting  parson"  for  just  six 
month's  of  these  troublous  times.  Thus  these 
"soldiers  of  the  Cross"  felt  called  upon  to  fight  for 
their  country  and  stand  by  "Old  Glory"  ere  our  flag 
was  old. 

Rev.  Justin  Edwards,  D.  D.,  born  in  Massachusetts, 
1787,  was  an  honored  name  in  connection  with  the 
founding  of  the  Boston  Tract  Society,  which  went  into 
operation  in  1812.  Of  the  Baptist  ministers  of  this 
period,  we  find  at  the  opening  of  this  century  Rev. 
Elisha  Williams,  the  renowned  pastor  of  Salem,  Mass., 
and  the  Rev.  David  Jones,  Jr.,  who  labored  in  Frank- 


216  Welshmen  as  Factors 

ford,  Pa.,  from  1811  till  his  decease  in  1823.  Dr. 
Spencer  fell  into  this  inaccuracy:  ''He  was  born  in 
North  Wales,  England"  (Early  Baptists  p.  180).  The 
fact  that  this  is  so  common  an  error  makes  it  no  less 
faulty.  During  the  years  now  under  review,  "Parson 
Davies''  was  doing  effective  service,  and  wielded  a 
wide-spread  and  healthful  influence.  His  sphere  of 
labor  was  King's  County,  Va.  Than  this  Rev.  Jesse 
Davies,  "few  perhaps  ever  gained  a  higher  stand  in 
public  estimation." 


THIRD  SPAN  OF  OUR  BRIDGE. 


J.  OUINCY  ADAMS  TO  W>I.  H.  HAKUISOX,  1825-1841. 

These  years,  covering  less  than  one-sixth  of  a  cen- 
tury, were  remarkable  for  the  advancement  made,  in 
mercantile  and  mechanic  arts.  Such  was  our  pros- 
perity, that  in  1836  the  Republic  had  wiped  out  the 
last  dollar  of  the  national  debt;  yea,  it  had  a  consider- 
able surplus  left  which  the  Government  divided  among 
the  several  States  of  this  Union.  It  was  in  this  period 
that  the  accomplished  De  Tocquiville  wrote  our  "His- 
tory" (1834).  There  are  noteworthy  events  in  our 
civil  history  as  related  to  Welshmen,  which  this  dis- 
tinguished and  facile  author  neither  sought  nor 
thought  of.  Why  should  he? 

Hon.  Lewis  Williams  of  Xorth  Carolina  had  the 
honor  of  conducting  j.  Quincy  Adams  to  his  seat  as 
Speaker  in  the  never-to-be-forgotten  26th  Congress. 

The  sixth  and  ninth  Presidents  were  both  men  of 
Welsh  lineage.  The  fourth  President,  James  Madison, 
was  Welsh  on  the  mother's  side,  as  was  also  the  fifth 
President,  James  Monroe.  Of  John  Ouincy  Adams, 
the  "Old  man  eloquent,*'  and  "a  name  reverenced 
wherever  popular  liberty  has  an  advocate"  (Elaine), 
we  take  great  pleasure  in  recording  that,  as  early  as 
January  6th,  1837,  ne  presented  to  Congress  a  peti- 
tion for  the  abolition  of  slaverv  in  the  District  of  Co- 


218  Welshmen  as  Factors 

lumbia,  making  "Every  human  being  free  who  sets 
his  foot  on  its  soil."  In  view  of  the  angry  remon- 
strance of  Southern  members,  he  said,  "Do  the  gentle- 
men from  the  South  think  they  can  frighten  me,  by 
their  threats;  if  that  be  their  purpose,  let  me  tell  them, 
sir,  they  have  precisely  mistaken  their  man.  I  am  not 
to  be  frightened  from  the  discharge  of  a  sacred  duty 
by  their  indignation,  by  their  violence,  nor  Sir,  by  all 
the  grand  juries  of  the  universe." 

Of  William  H.  Harrison,  it  is  known  that  he  came 
of  p'urely  Welsh  stock.  His  father  was  the  son  of  Ben- 
jamin Harrison  from  Virginia;  his  grandson  is 
our  ex-President,  Benjamin  Harrison.  From  the 
latter  there  was  handed  a  distinct  avowal  of  the  Welsh 
origin  of  his  illustrious  relatives,  traceable  to  "the 
times  of  Oliver  Cromwell." 

Hon.  James  G.  Elaine  speaks  of  "the  wild  Whig 
canvass  for  Harrison  and  Taylor."  This  President 
was  cut  off  by  death,  in  one  month  after  his  inaugura- 
tion. Rev.  Doctor  Tryon  Edwards  preached  the  fol- 
lowing Sabbath  a  sermon  on  "God's  voice  to  the  na- 
tion." Harrison  realized,  alas  how  early!  that 
"The  path  of  glory  leads  but  to  the  grave." 
He  had  spoken  words  of  grace  and  wisdom  March 
4th,  1841,  while  "commending  every  interest  of  our 
beloved  country  to  that  good  Being  who  has  blessed 
us  with  the  gifts  of  civil  and  religious  freedom,  who 
watched  over  and  prospered  the  labors  of  our  fathers." 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  2 1 9 

This  President  was  an  intimate  friend  of  Gen.  Geo.  W. 
Jones  of  Iowa,  and  befriended  him.  This  Welshman 
was  an  important  factor,  and  did  much  service  to  our 
country. 

The  year  1826  and  its  "Glorious  Fourth''  marked 
the  Semi-centennial  of  the  Republic.  What  "develop- 
ment" of  natural  and  moral  resources  within  just  fifty 
years!  If  we  except  "The  Centennial"  so  grandly 
celebrated  in  Philadelphia,  this  was  the  proudest  an- 
niversary of  this  nation's  history.  It  was  more  grand 
than  that  of  any  previous  fifty  years  in  the  annals  of 
our  race.  The  science  of  self-government  had  taken 
long  and  majestic  strides.  This  government  "of  the 
people,  by  the  people,  and  for  the  people"  had  proved 
a  success.  Commerce  had  thrived,  and  the  various 
industries  prospered  to  a  remarkable  degree.  We 
have  glanced  at  this  record  as  far  as  to  the  opening  of 
J.  O.  Adams'  administration.  As  this  "Bridge  of 
History"  grows,  and  arches  longer  and  heavier  are 
added  to  the  structure,  we  learn  the  wisdom  of  the 
earl}'  builders  who  laid  the  foundations  of  this  bridge, 
resting',  not  on  sand,  but  on  the  granite  rock  of  truth 
and  principle.  Had  all  subsequent  actors  been  as 
faithful  and  foreseeing  as  were  these  "Fathers,"  the 
thoughtful  men  of  to-day  would  be  less  worried  touch- 
ing the  future  of  our  Government. 

One  circumstance  cast  a  pall  of  sorrow  over  the 
otherwise  Glorious  Fourth  which  marked  this  fiftieth 


220  Welshmen  as  Factors 

\ 

anniversary  of  our  Independence,  that  was  the  death 
of  two  great  men  of  Welsh  descent,  even  the  two  who 
had  wrought  so  grandly  in  the  production  and  defence 
of  that  "immortal  instrument" — Thomas  Jefferson,  the 
author,  and  John  Adams,  the  "Atlas"  of  the  Declara- 
tion. In  nothing-  was  the  divine  favor  more  con- 
spicuous than  in  the  fact  that  for  so  many  years,  the 
lives  of  these  men  had  been  preserved  to  this  new 
Government.  Of  the  men  who  bore  Adams  to  his 
burial,  we  should  note  that  Judge  John  Davis.  ''Hon- 
est John  Davis"  acted  as  pall-bearer.  Webster's 
"Eulogy"  well  says,  "No  two  men  :':  infused 

their  own  opinions  more  deeply  into  the  opinion  of 
others.  *  *  Their  work  doth  not  perish  with 

them." 

The  visit  of  General  Lafayette,  "The  guest  of  the 
nation,"  has  some  interest  in  the  line  of  historic  mat- 
ter we  are  now  pursuing.  He  arrived  in  New  York 
August,  1824,  and  made  a  tour  of  twenty-four  States. 
In  1825,  July  26th,  he  visited  the  battle  ground  near 
Chad's  Ford  on  the  Brandywine,  Chester  County, 
Pa.  Brig.  Gen.  Evans  had,  as  Commander  of  the 
County  Cavalry,  Lieutenant  Jones.  Among  assistant 
Marshalls  were  William  Williamson  and  Jonathan 
Jones.  A  salute  of  thirteen  guns,  representing  the 
original  States,  was  fired,  on  tiie  approach  of  La- 
fayette. He  gave  an  affectionate  welcome  to  the 
daughter  of  Associate  Judge  John  Davis,  a  veteran, 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  221 

under  his  command  at  Yorktown,  Ya.  This  lady 
was  introduced  to  the  distinguished  guest  by  Colonel 
Isaac  Wayne.  When  returning  next  morning,  Col. 
Jacob  Humphreys  rode  in  the  carriage  with  Lafayette. 
These  interesting  incidents  are  given  in  the  elaborate 
"History  of  Chester  County/'  and  it  is  certain  the  fac- 
tors of  Welsh  blood  were  proud  of  this  opportunity 
to  greet  and  honor  the  man  who,  to  carry  out  his 
forced  march  to  Virginia  in  1780,  raised  two  thousand 
guineas,  at  Baltimore,  on  his  own  personal  credit.  He 
rescued  Richmond,  in  the  spirit  in  which  he  came  to 
our  rescue,  in  1777' 

These  years,  marked  by  reason  of  good  service 
done,  give  prominence  to  Welsh  nationality.  In  1827 
we  find  General  Ellis  introducing  into  Wisconsin  the 
first  printing  press;  rather  it  was  not  a  press,  but  "a 
planer  and  mallet."  It  was  five  years  later  before 
he  secured  a  press.  He  issued  the  first  newspaper 
ever  published  in  that  State.  It  was  printed  at  Green 
Bay. 

In  1828,  Thomas  B.  Jones  was  appointed  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Patent  Office  of  the  United  States. 
Among  the  leading  establishments  in  woolen  manu- 
facture at  this  date  was  that  of  Wrilliam  Phillips,  Phil- 
lipsburg,  Xew  York.  Broad-cloth  was  made  here  in 
1828,  and  the  capital  invested  amounted  to  $20,000. 
May  22nd,  this  year,  W'illiam  Morgan  of  Meadville, 


222 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


Pa.,  got  a  patent  for  making  paper  from  straw  and 
hay.  An  edition  of  the  New  Testament  was  printed 
on  this  paper,  selling  for  only  five  cents  a  copy.  There 
was  a  canal  boat  built  the  following  November,  out 
of  "materials  growing  on  the  banks  of  French  Creek  a 
few  days  before."  It  was  launched  at  Meadville,  and 
left  for  Pittsburg  on  the  3oth,  carrying  twenty  pas- 
sengers, and  laden  with  thirty  reams  of  straw-paper. 
The  years  following  straw-paper  was  being  extensively 
used  in  Philadelphia,  for  wrapping;  and  the  "Niles 
Weekly  Newspaper"  was  printed  on  such  paper.  This 
was  considered  the  cheapest  and  best  for  printing, 
and  cost  less  than  $2.00  a  ream,  imperial  size.  It  was 
manufactured  by  machinery  suited  to  that  work.  John 
Vaughan,  Esq.,  in  1829,  favored  the  silk  culture  and 
manufacturing  interests  of  the  Silk  Society  of  Phila- 
delphia, and  secured  the  presentation  before  Congress 
of  the  famous  Silk  Bill,  which  however  was  defeated. 

Col.  W.  L.  Roberts  was  in  1829  chief  engineer  for 
the  building  of  locks  and  dams  in  the  Monongahela 
River.  The  purpose  of  this  undertaking  was  to  protect 
coal  proprietors  against  heavy  losses,  occasioned -by 
the  detention  of  the  coal  flat  boats  for  want  of  water, 
and  the  carrying  away  and  destruction  of  them  by 
raging  floods  and  ice.  Mr.  J.  Sutton  Wall  (Report 
1884)  considered  this  "an  event  of  great  importance 
to  this  industry." 

In  1836  Owen  Waters  of  Carder's  Creek,  was  manu- 


In  tJie  Development  of  the  Republic.  223 

facturing  superior  shovels,  spades,  axes,  and  other 
implements.  The  year  following  Dr.  D.  D.  Owen 
rendered  good  service  in  making  the  State  Geological 
survey  of  Indiana,  thus  opening  up  a  better  knowledge 
of  the  natural  resources  thereof.  Edward  Young, 
Chief  of  the  Statistics  of  Manufacture  in  Washington, 
wrote  of  the  well-earned  reputation  of  Welsh  and 
Griffiths,  formerly  Charles  Griffiths,  Boston,  for  mak- 
ing circular,  mill,  pit  and  cross  saws.  Mr.  Griffiths 
started  his  factory  in  1830. 

The  United  States  Patent  Office  records  the  skill 
and  genius  of  the  following  patentees  of  Welsh  name : 
July  i6th,  1824,  Thomas  R.  Williams,  of  Newport, 
Rhode  Island,  secured  a  patent  on  ''Retreating-spring 
lancet,"  and  again  June  8th,  and  October  23rd,  a 
patent  was  granted  John  Stephens  of  Hoboken  N.  Y., 
for  "improvement  in  railways."  Charles  G.  Williams, 
New  York,  patented  a  cylindrical  printing  press, 
March  29th,  1828,  and  August  22nd,  Samuel  S.  Wil- 
liams, Rocksbury,  Mass.,  patented  mats,  made  of 
manilla  and  other  grasses;  and  November  6th,  D.  B. 
Howells  of  Philadelphia  patented  his  "improvement 
for  making  malleable  iron,"  August  nth,  1830,  E. 
H.  Thomas  and  Nathan  Woodcock,  Battleboro,  Ver- 
mont, pulp-dressers,  got  a  patent  on  their  method  of 
making  paper.  Thos.  Morgan  started  the  first  cut- 
nail  factory  west  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  over  60  years  ago 
at  Rochester.  The  first  patent  on  fluid  India-rubber, 


224  Welshmen  as  Factors 

or  caout-chouc,  for  rendering  fabrics  water-proof,  was 
given  to  George  H.  Richards  of  Washington,  D.  C., 
April  nth,  1831.  To  Edward  Evans,  Salem  Town- 
ship, Pennsylvania,  there  was  awarded  in  1832  a 
patent  for  tanning  hides  without  sweating  them,  or 
using  lime;  and  February  I3th,  1833,  William  Ed- 
wards, Masonville,  N.  Y.,  patented  a  mill  for  soften- 
ing, breaking  and  filling  hides.  This  was  set  forth  to 
be  "a  valuable  improvement."  To  J.  James,  of  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  was  granted  April  2oth,  a  patent  for  form- 
ing hat  bodies  of  wool. 

In  1830  the  pa-rents  of  the  famed  overseer  of  the 
South  Boston  Gas-Light  Plant,  left  Wales,  and  ar- 
rived in  Boston,  Mass.  Edward  Jones  was  but  a  lad 
of  twelve.  New  York,  Baltimore  and  Boston  ac- 
knowledge their  indebtedness  to  the  genius  of  this 
youth,  and  they  were  the  only  cities  on  this  continent 
favored  with  gas-light.  The  above  company  present- 
ed Mr.  Jones  with  a  testimonial  and  a  valuable  gold 
watch.  To  him  were  given  patents  on  "Retort  valves" 
and  other  inventions.  As  engineer  of  gas  works  in 
this  country  he  was  facile  princcps.  He  served  the 
Boston  Company  for  25  years. 

In  1830,  twenty  Welsh  families  came  to  Carbondale, 
Pa.,  attracted  thither  by  the  coal  industry;  among 
these  were  Deacon  Bowen  of  the  Welsh  Baptist 
Church.  Three  years  later  that  church  was  organized, 
and  became  a  centre  of  healthful  influences.  About 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  225 

the  same  time,  the  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist 
Church  was  formed,  and  holds  its  position  to  this  day. 
Carbondale  owes  much  to  this  nationality.  Its  city 
charter  was  drawn  up  by  Hon.  Lewis  Jones,  and  by 
an  Act  of  Assembly,  March  I5th,  1851,  Carbondale 
became  a  city.  In.  the  first  election,  choice  was  made 
of  Edward  Jones  as  Councilman,  Lewis  Pugh  as 
Treasurer,  and  William  Richmond  as  Auditor.  J.  D. 
Richards  was  District  Attorney  1865-9,  anc^  Recorder 
in  1873.  C.  Harris  was  Mayor  here.  Mr.  William  S. 
Jones  was  born  in  Oneida  County,  New  York,  his 
parents  having  come  from  Wales  in  1838.  Removing 
to  Carbondale,  Pa.,  his  father  died  there  in  1841. 
Jones  was  a  miner  boy  for  a  while,  but  of  studious 
habits.  He  removed  to  Massachusetts  in  1859,  when 
he  entered  the  Army,  Co.  I.,  loth  Mass.,  which  formed 
a  part  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Wounded  in 
Spottsylvania,  May,  1864.  he  settled  in  Pennsylvania 
again.  In  1869  he  assumed  the  editorship  of  "Baner 
America,"  a  position  he  held  for  five  years.  He  be- 
came mine  inspector  October,  1876,  and  served  for 
five  years;  in  which  position  he  acted  conscientiously 
as  middle-man  in  the  best  sense.  Literally  this  man 
has  "lived  for  others,"  and  to  do  good! 

The  period  now  under  review  will  be  ever  memor- 
able for  the  valuable  service  of  a  Welshman  from 
Glamorganshire. 

A  great  event,  in  its  relation  to  coal  and  iron  in- 


226  Welshmen  as  Factors 

dustries,  was  the  incoming  of  the  renowned  David 
Thomas,  Esq.,  to  Catasauqua.  He  was  "tire  -man  for 
the  times."  Just  then,  Mr.  Solomon  W.  Roberts,  of 
Philadelphia,  had  returned  from  Wales,  and  through 
his  recommendation  this  man  was  sent  for  by  the  Le- 
high  Crane  Company,  organized  in  1838,  for  the 
manufacture  of  pig-iron  by  means  of  anthracite  coal. 
That  very  year  Mr.  Erskine  Hazard  was  sent  to  Wales 
to  bring  over  the  man  familiar  with  the  process,  who 
should  "take  charge  of  the  erection  of  the  works,  and 
the  manufacture  of  the  iron."  David  Thomas  arrived 
in  the  following  spring,  and  was  "the  first  to  succeed 
in  using  the  black-stone  for  smelting  iron  in  America." 
Among  the  first  settlers  of  Craneville,  as  the  place 
was  then  called,  were  the  Williamses,  who  came  from 
Wales  in  1840.  The  father,  David  Williams,  with  his 
sons,  David,  John  and  Oliver  held  important  positions 
in  the  Crane  works.  These  with  Morgan  Emanuel,  a 
Welshman,  and  others,  "did  much  towards  the  devel- 
opment of  the  town."  When  the  Borough  was  formed 
in  1853,  there  were  quite  a  number  of  Welshmen 
property  holders,  and  David  Thomas  was  chosen  Bur- 
gess. The  agreement  made  with  Mr.  Thomas  was 
remarkable  for  the  liberal  conditions  it  contained. 
The  company  bound  itself  to  remove  Mr.  Thomas"  of 
"Castell  Du"  and  his  family  to  their  destination  here 
at  the  expense  of  the  company.  His  house  and  coal 
were  free.  His  salary  £200,  or  $1,000,  until  the  first 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  227 

furnace  \vas  ready  to  work,  and  £50,  or  $250.00,  to  be 
added  when  success  was  insured.  Again,  for  every 
additional  furnace,  successfully  put  in  blast,  another 
£50  were  to  be  added  to  the  year's  salary.  In  case  of 
"failure,"  the  Company  were  pledged  to  replace  Mr. 
Thomas  and  family  in  Wales,  "free  of  expense."  A 
truly  wonderful  contract!  But  this  man  expected  no 
failure,  and  in  him  the  Company  reposed  unbounded 
confidence.  An  iron-master  here,  who  would  use 
charcoal  as  the  only  fuel  for  smelting,  said  to  this 
Welshman,  "1  will  eat  all  the  iron  you  make  with  an- 
thracite." Ere  long,  Air.  Thomas  sent  him  word,  that 
"the  dinner  cooked  in  the  Company's  first  furnace 
was  ready."  This  was  a  Glorious  Fourth  for  him, 
July  4th,  1840.  Number  two  furnace  was  blown  in 
November,  1842,  and  others  were  added  from  time  to 
time.  Mr.  Thomas  and  family  have  been  useful  and 
active  from  the  first  in  promoting  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious well-being  of  the  community.  The  Presbyte- 
rian church  has  greatly  profited  by  these  "factors." 
We  have  before  us  that  interesting  letter  of  David 
Thomas  to  B.  F.  H.  Lynn,  Esq.,  dated  February  23rd, 
1872.  An  extract  or  two  must  suffice.  "I  claim  to 
have  been  the  first  person  to  obtain  successful  results, 
at  least  as  far  as  I  know  or  have  heard  of."  This  re- 
fers to  the  use  of  anthracite  for  smelting  iron  ore. 
The  experiment  had  been  made  by  Mr.  Thomas  at 
the  Ynyscedwin  Works,  South  Wales.  "On  the 


228  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Fourth  of  July,  1840,  I  made  the  first  iron  on  this  plan, 
in  our  furnace  here;  there  are  now,  in  this  valley, 
forty-six  anthracite  furnaces  producing  over  400,000 
tons  of  pig-iron  annually.  1  have  been  in  the  blast- 
furnace business  sixty  years  the  I2th  of  April  next, 
and  forty-five  to  fifty  of  these  years  I  have  been  ex- 
perimenting- with  anthracite." 

This  Welsh  Factor  well-deserved  a  glowing  tribute. 
Having  been  connected  with  the  iron  work  industry 
from  the  year  1812,  "he  was  regarded  as  a  leading 
authority  on  all  matter  pertaining  to  the  trade.  By  his 
skill  and  industry  lie  contributed  greatly  to  the  build- 
ing up  of  the  iron  industries  of  this  country."  (His- 
tory of  Lehigh  and  Carbon  Counties). 

In  Catasauqua  he  was  for  fifty  years  a  leading  man, 
not  only  in  his  calling  but  in  his  church,  the  Pres- 
byterian Church.  "Father  Thomas"  manifested  a 
d^ep  interest  in  advancing  all  works  of  moral  or 
material  prosperity  in  the  community,  and  did  much 
to  encourage  sobriety  and  thrift  among  the  workmen 
he  superintended ;  and  many  of  them  are  indebted  to 
his  wise  counsel,  or  to  other  forms  of  assistance,  for 
the  happy  homes  they  enjoy.  It  is  noteworthy  that 
this  great  Welshman  had  no  sooner  become  settled 
in  his  mew  home,  1839,  than  he  erected  a  small  chapel, 
which  was  followed  by  the  organization  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Chitrch  of  which  he  was  made  Ruling  Elder, 
an  office  held  continually  bv  him  until  his  death.  The 


In  tJic  Development  of  the  Republic.  229 

constituent  members  were  but  three,  Mr.,  Mrs.  an  I 
Miss  Jane  Thomas.  Mr.  Thomas  was  an  ardent  friend 
of  Sunday  Schools,  of  the  public  schools  also;  he  was 
school  director  for  years.  Mr.  Thomas  was  as  patri- 
otic an  American  as  if  a  native  on  our  soil.  During 
the  Civil  War  his  means  and  his  influence  were  freely 
devoted  to  tne  Union  cause,  and  it  was  largely 
through  his  instrumentality,  that  a  company  of  volun- 
teers was  recruited  at  Catasauqua.  The  remains  of 
this  remarkable  man  lie  in  the  beautiful  cemetery  just 
across  the  Lehigh  River.  From  that  elevation  a  full 
view  of  the  monuments  of  a  marvellous  triumph  of 
\Yelsh  genius,  may  gladden  the  eye  and  heart  of  any 
visitor  interested  in  Cymric  achievements.  A  Welsh 
youth  helped  by  Father  Thomas  was  Oliver  ^Wil- 
liams, Catasauqua,  born  in  South  Wales,  emigrated 
to  this  land  in  1833,  removed  to  California  in  1840. 
At  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  Mr.  Williams  became  an  ac- 
quaintance and  friend  of  Mr.  Arthur,  our  2ist  Presi- 
dent. He  sojourned  a  while  in  New  York,  and  then 
in  Chicago.  In  1867  he  was  manager  of  the  Catasau- 
qua Manufacturing  Company,  and  he  so  managed  as 
to  give  to  that  Company  a  foremost  position  in  the 
iron  industry.  In  1892  he  gave  himself  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  "Bryden  Horse  Shoe  Factory," 
which  in  the  late  war  had  a  large  contract  for  supply- 
ing the  Government  Cavalry.  In  1896  he  was  the 
nominee  of  the  Republican  party  for  Congress. 


230  Welshmen  as  Factors 

One  thing  more.  In  view  of  the  disgraceful  injus- 
tice done  to  our  red  men,  it  is  with  pride  that  we  re- 
fer to  a  few  factors  among  the  Welsh  who  have  sought 
rather  the  elevation  and  civilization  than  the  exter- 
mination of  these  Aborigines.  On  the  banks  of  the 
Delaware  River  stands  the  historic  elm  tree,  beneath 
the  spreading  branches  of  which  the  great  Quaker 
made  the  Treaty  of  1682.  He  said,  "We  do  not  use 
hostile  weapons,  believing  that  the  Father  ever  com- 
mends peace;  therefore  are  we  unarmed.  Our  object 
is  not  to  do  injury  and  provoke  the  great  Spirit,  but  to 
do  good.  No  advantage  is  to  be  taken,  but  all  is  to 
be  openness,  brotherhood  and  love."  No  wonder 
these  barbarians  replied:  "No  one,  till  now,  has  spoken 
to  us  of  friendship,  no  one  has  offered  us  brother- 
hood. *  *  *  Show  ins  what  our  brother  wants, 
and  we  will  keep  faith  with  him: — we  and  our  chil- 
dren." The  Sachems  were  true  to  their  pledged  word. 

As  early  as  1821  the  Rev.  Thomas  Roberts  super- 
intended a  mission  among  the  Cherokee  Indians  at 
Valley  Towns  and  Tinsawattee.  Four  years  later  we 
find  a  Welshman,  Rev.  Evan  Jones,  as  the  successor 
of  Mr.  Roberts  on  this  field.  By  his  effort  the  work 
was  extended,  stations  added,  and  hundreds  of  re  L 
men  under  the  banner  of  Jesus.  Many  years  ago  it 
was  the  writer's  privilege  to  meet  and  hear  both  Mr. 
Jones  and  his  devoted  son,  also  a  missionary  to  the 
Cherokees. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  231 

In  1830  John  Davis  labored  among  the  Creek 
Indians,  and  in  1832  Rev.  David  Lewis  began  his  ex- 
cellent work  with  this  tribe.  When  Dr.  E.  James  was 
military  surgeon  of  a  regiment  stationed  among  the 
Ojibwras,  in  1832.  'he  translated  the  New  Testament 
into  their  language,  and  prepared  a  spelling-book  for 
their  schools.  The  following  is  a  newspaper  clipping 
which  we  are  pleased  to  place  just  here: 

''Later,  in  1840,  an  improved  syllabary  was  devised 
by  the  Rev.  James  Evans,  a  missionary  among  the 
Crees.  It  was  phonetic,  and  the  characters  were 
simpler,  being  composed  of  squares  and  parts  of 
squares,  and  circles  and  parts  of  circles.  The  zealous 
clergyman  cut  his  type  out  of  wood,  and  made  cast- 
ings from  the  original  blocks  with  lead  from  tea 
chests,  which  he  begged  from  officers  of  the  Hudson 
Bay  Company.  He  manufactured  ink  out  of  soot, 
and  on  a  hand  press  of  his  own  construction  printed 
many  little  tracts  and  leaflets  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Indians.  With  some  modifications  his  characters 
have  come  into  general  use  not  only  with  the  Crees, 
but  also  among  many  tribes  of  the  northwest  which 
speak  languages  in  no  wise  akin  to  that  of  the  Crees, 
and  scores  of  books  have  been  printed  in  them." — The 
Washington  Star. 

Another  Welshman  should  be  nameu  in  relation  to 
this  Indian  service,  David  J.  Davies,  a  native  of  Angle- 
sea,  North  Wales.  In  1853  he  was  appointed  by  the 


232  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Presbyterian  Board  to  labor  in  Nebraska,  and  later 
accepted  a  Government  commission  as  teacher  of  the 
Indians  in  agriculture  and  the  arts  of  civilization. 
He  was  not  only  familiar  with  the  Red  Man's  lan- 
guage, but  knew  the  Llydawaeg  or  Britton,  and  was 
quite  a  good  Greek  and  Hebrew  scholar.  Mr.  Davies 
was  a  man  full  of  faith  and  good  works. 

Between  1825  and  1841,  the  Keystone  State  sent  to 
Congress  the  following  men  of  Cymric  name:  William 
Adams,  Samuel  Edwards,  Edward  Davies,  Robert 
Harris,  S.  S.  Harrison,  Edward  J.  Morris,  Matthias 
Morris,  Samuel  \Y.  Morris,  H.  M.  Phillips,  John 
Reynolds,  Philander  Stephens,  Alexander  Thomas. 
From  the  I9th  to  the  26th  Congress,  Welshmen  from 
other  States  appeared  in  good  numbers.  To  the  Hon- 
orable member  from  Maine,  George  Evans,  who  had 
served  in  the  House  of  Representatives  from  1829  to 
1841,  and  was  then  transferred  to  the  Senate,  this 
tribute  is  paid  in  Blaine's  "Twenty  Years  of  Congress" 
(Vol.  I.,  p.  71):  "As  a  parliamentary  debater,  using 
that  term  in  its  true  significance  and  with  proper 
limitations,  George  Evans  is  entitled  to  high  rank.  * 
When  Mr.  Evans'  term  of  service  drew  near  to 
the  close,  Mr.  Webster  paid  him  the  extraordinary 
commendation  of  saying1  in  the  Senate  'that  his  retire- 
ment would  be  a  serious  loss  to  the  Government  and 
the  country.'  He  pronounced  the  speech  just  then 
delivered  by  Mr.  Evans  on  the  finances  to  be  'incom- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  233 

parable.'  "  Mr.  Elaine's  own  estimate  is  thus  given, 
"Of  all  who  have  represented  New  England  in  the 
Senate,  Mr.  Evans  as  a  debater  is  entitled  to  rank  next 
to  Mr.  Webster."  Again,  Elaine  referred  to  Evans 
as  one  of  the  Congressmen  from  "the  old  Kennebec 
district,  who  had  won  great  prominence  *  *  *  by 
the  ability,  the  ripe  culture,  the  superb  talent  for  de- 
bate he  had  exhibited  in  Congress."  When  George 
Evans  of  Maine  was  transferred  from  the  House  of 
Representatives  to  the  Senate  of  the  United  States, 
he  was  put  on  the  Finance  Committee,  of  which  the 
great  Henry  Clay  was  chairman.  Clay  stated.  "Mr. 
Evans  knows  more  about  the  finances  than  any  other 
public  man  in  the  United  States."  Elaine  refers  to 
Senator  Evans  as  "a  man  of  commanding  power"  in 
Congress. 

In  this  section  we  must  note  two  men  of  Schuylkill 
County,  Pennsylvania,  distinguished  not  only  in  their 
profession  only,  but  in  other  lines  also.  Judge  Ed- 
ward Owen  Parry,  attorney  at  law,  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  was  the  eldest  son  of  Edward  Parry,  who 
came  here  from  Anglesea,  North  Wales.  Admitted 
to  the  bar  in  February,  1829,  the  following  August  he 
removed  from  Philadelphia  to  Pottsville;  in  1830  he 
was  Borough  Solicitor.  He  drew  up  the  charter  of 
this  capital  of  Schuylkill  County.  He  was  principally 
identified  with  all  improvements  there.  In  1833,  he 
was  elected  vestryman  of  the  Trinity  Episcopal 


234  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Church;  in  1838,  he  was  appointed  a  representative  to 
the  Diocesan  Convention,  in  which  he  has  "always  oc- 
cupied a  very  prominent  position."  Later  on,  lie  was 
chosen  President  Judge  of  the  District.  He  was 
recommended  for  appointment  as  Judge  of  the  Circuit 
•Court,  and  was  thought  of  for  Judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court.  In  the  argument  of  "a  large  number  of  im- 
portant cases  before  the  Supreme  Court"  Judge  Parry 
had  won  for  himself  great  celebrity.  Francis  W. 
Hughes  was  a  native  of  Upper  Merion,  Montgomery 
County,  Pa.  His  father,  John  Hughes,  was  a  man  of 
note  and  a  wealthy  farmer,  his  ancestors  having  settled 
there  before  the  coming  of  William  Perm.  In  the 
autumn  of  1834,  he  commenced  the  study  of  law  in 
Pottsville,  completing  his  studies  in  Philadelphia. 
Before  the  bar  he  was  a  peerless  pleader,  ever  since 
his  admission  in  1837.  He  proved  himself  a  master 
of  his  profession.  In  1839  he  was  appointed  Deputy- 
Attorney  General,  a  position  which  he  honored  for 
the  space  of  eleven  years.  He  had  mainly  a  practice 
in  civil  courts.  He  had  "few  equals  as  a  nisi  prius 
lawyer  in  this  country."  Such  was  the  record  given 
of  Mr.  Hughes.  Moreover,  he  was  famous  for  the 
argument  of  cases  in  the  Supreme  Courts,  on  appeal. 
We  shall  have  occasian  again  to  call  up  this  illustrious 
name,  when  we  come  to  write  of  the  events  of  our 
Civil  War. 

Sometime  during   1840,   there  occurred   that  dire 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  235 

and  lamentable  death  of  John  A.  G.  Davies,  of  Vir- 
ginia. He  was  a  graduate  of  William  and  Mary  Col- 
lege, and  married  to  a  grand-niece  of  Thomas  Jeffer- 
son. In  1830  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Law  in 
the  Virginia  University;  thrice  was  he  appointed 
Chairman  of  the  Faculty.  His  tragic  nd  was  caused 
by  the  pistol  shot  of  an  assassin,  and  that  just  as  na 
was  climbing  to  the.  zenith  of  his  glory  and  usefulness. 
He  was  but  thirty-nine  years  old.  A  few  years  earlier 
he  published  a  work  of  great  value  on  "Criminal 
Law;"  the  Legislature  paid  $12,000  to  Mrs.  Davis's 
family  for  the  copy-right,  so  highly  valuable  were  its 
teachings  and  directions. 

Hon.  Henry  W.  Williams,  a  native  of  Connecticut, 
whose  parents  were  members  of  the  Congregational 
Church,  of  which  his  father  was  a  deacon,  came  to 
Pittsburg  in  1839.  In  May,  1841,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  of  Allegheny  County,  and  speedily  rose  to 
prominent  positions.  He  had  served  a  term  of  ten 
years  as  Associate  Judge  of  the  District  Court,  and 
was  serving  a  second  term  when  appointed  in  i8<58, 
as  Judge  of  Supreme  Court.  He  then  filled  a  vacancy 
caused  by  the  resignation  of  Hon.  William  Strong, 
but  he  so  filled  that  office,  as  to  secure  his  election  for 
fifteen  years  more.  The  judge  united  with  the  Third 
Presbyterian  Church  in  Pittsburg,  in  March,  1840, 
and  has  been  called  to  important  positions  as  member 
of  the  General  Assembly.  Graduating  from  Amherst 


236  Welshmen  as  Factors 

College,  Mass.,  in  1837,  his  Alma  Mater  honored  him 
with  the  degree  of  LL.,  D.  in  1866. 


A  FEW  FACTORS  IN  FARMING  DISTRICTS  AT  THIS 
TIME. 

Of  Welshmen  who  came  to  Utica  and  Stenben 
at  an  early  date,  many  in  later  years  migrated  into 
other  counties — Lewis,  Herkimer,  St.  Lawrence, 
Madison,  Oswego  and  Cataraugus.  Between  the 
years  1800  and  1850,  this  people  greatly  increased  by 
immigrations  from  Wales.  In  1831,  there  were 
Welshmen  forming  a  settlement  in  the  agricultural 
district  of  Bradford,  forty  years  later  there  were 
about  sixty  Welsh  farms  in  this  neighborhood,  valued 
at  two  hundred  and  eighteen  thousand,  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars.  The  forest  was  sold  to  the 
first  settlers  as  low  as  three  dollars  per  acre.  These 
farms  are  in  the  Townships  of  Pike,  Warren  and 
Middletown.  The  Congregational  patriarch.  Rev. 
Daniels,  Dundafr,  has  been  a  potent  moral  factor  in 
these  parts. 

David  and  Elizabeth  Davies,  who  were  natives  of 
Llanguc,  near  Neath,  Wales,  and  who  emigrated 
to  this  country  in  1831,  settled  on  a  farm  at  War- 
ren, Bradford  County,  Pa.,  where  the  old  home- 
stead still  stands.  The  following  children  were  born 
at  the  old  home:  John  Davies,  resides  at  Neath,  Brad- 


1 


REES  DAVIES,  M.  D. 


/;/  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  237 

ford  County,  Pa. ;  Mary,  wife  of  Rev.  John  Davies  of 
Dodgeville,  Wis. ;  Philip  Davies  of  Neath,  Pa.;  Evan 
H.;  Annie,  now  the  wife  of  Hon.  H.  Howell  of  Neath, 
Pa.;  Hon.  W.  T.  Davies,  ex-Lieutenant  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania;  Thomas,  killed  in  a  railroad  accident  at 
Mahanoy  in  1881;  Dr.  Rees  Davies  of  Wilkesbarre; 
Elizabeth  and  Catherine  Davies.  A  truly  remarkable 
family  was  this.  Of  the  skillful  and  renowned  "Doc- 
tor Davies"  we  will  have  a  somewhat  elaborate  notice 
in  our  portrait  gallery. 

Dundaff,  or  Clifford,  is  not  far  from  Carbondale, 
and  lies  to  the  south-east.  Thomas  Watkins  of  Car- 
bondale, is  said  to  have  been  the  first  Welsh  settler. 
May,  1833,  is  the  date  of  his  land  purchase.  After  him 
came  Thomas,  Edwards,  Jones,  Jenkins,  Rees,  Moses, 
Anthony,  and  others.  The  famed  "Siencyn  Ddwy- 
waith"  came  from  New  York  City,  and  built  the 
Welsh  Congregational  Church,  in  which  he  preached 
for  many  years,  followed  by  D.  Daniels.  Welsh  peo- 
ple abound  in  several  townships  of  Bradford  County. 

Of  those  who  in  1847  petitioned  for  and  secured  the 
setting  off  of  Washington  from  Heidelberg  Twp.  in 
Lehigh  County,  Pa.,  were  the  following:  Owen  Jones, 
William  Roberts,  Ellis  Morris,  William  Roberts,  John 
Roberts,  David  Williams,  Robert  Roberts,  John  S. 
Williams,  Rees  Owens,  Richard  Hughes,  Robert 
Jones,  David  Peter,  Reuben  Peter,  John  Peter, 
Charles  Peter,  Elias  Williams,  R.  M.  Jones,  Richard 


238  Welshmen  as  Factors 

T.  Jones,  Griffith  Davis,  Henry  Parry,  Joseph  Peter, 
Abraham  Roberts,  Jonas  Peters,  and  Thomas  Peters. 

We  note  just  a  few  of  the  Moral  Factors  that  were 
prominent  in  service  during  these  years. 

Rev.  Thomas  Powell  came  hither  from  Abergaven- 
ny,  Monmouthshire,  in  1818.  Having  preached  much 
in  the  East  he  settled  in  Illinois  in  1836,  and  Dr.  Cath- 
cart  remarks,  "No  name  is  linked  in  more  interest  with 
early  Baptist  history  in  Illinois,  than'  that  of  Rev. 
Thomas  Powell." 

Rev.  Samuel  Williams,  baptized  in  Zainesville,  O., 
1822,  when  but  twenty  years  of  age,  was  ordained  in 
Somerset  County,  Pa.,  1824.  Subsequently  to  May, 
1827,  he  ministered  to  the  First  Church,  Pittsburg, 
for  twenty-eight  years,  his  church  became  the  mother 
of  six  other  churches  during  that  period. 

The  Welsh  Calvinistic  Methodist  Church,  Utica,  N. 
Y.,  was  not  formed  until  1830.  Men  of  renown  have 
stood  in  its  pulpit,  such  as  Revs.  Morris  Roberts, 
William  Rowlands,  D.  D.,  and  William  Roberts,  D.  D. 
The  Wesleyan  Methodists  (Welsh)  have  a  church 
in  this  city,  of  which  for  many  years  the  well  known 
Rev.  R.  L.  Herbert  was  pastor. 

In  1831,  the  son  of  Judge  Roberts,  Ebensburg,  Pa., 
Rev.  Thomas  G.  Roberts,  took  charge  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  left  vacant  by  the  decease  of  its  pas- 
tor. In  1832,  Rev.  Evan  Roberts,  Steuben,  took 
charge  of  the  Welsh  interests  for  one  year,  and 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  239 

returned.  The  famed,  now  deceased,  patriarch,  Rev. 
B.  W.  Chidlaw,  was  ordained  here.  He  married  a 
daughter  of  Ezekiel  Hughes,  and  continued  a  pastor 
for  years.  1840  he  returned  from  Wales,  bringing 
several  with  him  to  this  vicinity.  Other  men  entered 
into  the  labors  of  Pastor  Chidlaw. 

Rev.  Jacob  Price  of  Michigan,  famous  as  a  worker 
in  Cass  County,  emigrated  about  1832,  and  for  over 
forty  years  labored  to  win  souls  to  God,  and  to  form 
Christian  churches  in  Southwestern  Michigan.  Of 
these  churches  we  learn  that  "by  his  wise  counsels 
and  a  Christ-like  spirit  he  guided  their  affairs  with 
discretion." 

In  the  meeting  at  Columbia,  Nebraska,  held  in  1833, 
to  take  initiatory  steps  for  the  formation  of  the  Mis- 
souri Baptist  General  Association,  three  Welshmen 
were  present  and  prominent,  viz.,  Rev.  Ebenezer  Rod- 
gers,  Rowland  Hughes  and  Joseph  Hughes.  Mr. 
Rodgers  was  a  Monmouthshire  man,  from  Blaenau 
Gwent  Church,  a  brother  of  Rev.  Rodgers  of  Dub- 
ley,  England. 

In  1829,  there  stepped  from  the  bar  to  the  pulpit, 
Rev.  J.  M.  Rees,  D.  D.,  a  son  of  the  famous  Morgan 
J.  Rees  (Rhys)  of  Hengoed,  South  Wales.  New  Jer- 
sey acknowledges  him  as  one  of  the  founders  of  its 
State  Convention  for  missionary  purposes,  among  the 
Baptists,  of  which  he  was  chosen  Secretary.  In  1840 
he  was  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the  Baptist  Pub- 


240  Welshmen  as  Factors 

lication  Society.*  Again  in  Wilmington,  Del.,  and 
in  Williamsbtirg,  N.  Y.,  where  he  died,  this  man  was 
known  and  confessed  as  a  powerful  "moral"  agent. 
Elder  John  Davies,  a  native  of  Orange  County,  Va., 
was  ordained  in  1812,  and  for  over  forty  years  con- 
tinued a  faithful  minister  of  Christ.  He  is  said  to  have 
travelled  fifty  thousand  miles,  and  to  have  received 
into  church  fellowship  fully  three  thousand  souls! 
His  influence  was  widely  felt  throughout  the  Albe- 
marle  Association.  Dr.  Cathcart  credits  Rev.  A.  P. 
Williams  of  Missouri  as  having  been  useful  in  leading 
over  "three  thousand"  to  a  better  life.  Rev.  Isaac 
Owens,  D.  D.,  a  native  of  Vermont,  having  removed 
West  with  his  parents  in  1811,  was  admitted  into  the 
Indiana  Congress  of  the  M.  E.  Church  in  1835,  and 
became  a  man  of  note.  Through  his  influence,  and 
exertions  in  part,  was  Ashbury  University  so  well 
endowed.  "Elder  Jones,"  Rev.  M.  L.  Jones,  born 
1795,  died  1840,  was  a  valuable  factor  in  the  Old 
Dominion.  His  name  and  fame  were  an  honor  to  his 
nationality.  In  the  year  1827.  a  student  from  Hamil- 
ton, N.  Y.,  named  Henry  Davies,  went  Wrest  to 
Detroit,  Mich.,  and  did  great  good  there.  Rev.  Heman 
Humphreys,  D.  D.,  a  graduate  of  Yale,  Class  1805, 

*  This  important  agency  was  set  on  foot,  in  consequence  of  a  corres- 
pondence between  Rev.  Noah  Davis,  of  Maryland,  and  his  classmate, 
Rev.  J.  D.  Knowles,  then  1824,  residing  in  Washington,  D.  C.  It  was  first 
started  as  a  Tract  Society,  for  the  publication  and  circulation  of  sacred 
truth  in  the  land,  and  other  denominational  work. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  241 

was  for  twenty-three  years  President  of  Amherst 
College.  He  was  "One  of  the  best  and  weightiest 
men  of  his  age."  To  his  potent  influence  the  Con- 
gregational and  Presbyterian  Churches  are  greatly 
indebted.  In  his  attitude  towards  slavery,  and  his 
advocacy  of  temperance,  he  was  a  valuable  moral 
factor. 

Rev.  B.  B.  Edwards  \vas  for  two  years  an  instructor 
in  the  college  just  named.  He  was  for  five  years 
(1828-1833)  Assistant  Secretary  of  the  American 
Education  Society.  He  succeeded  Moses  Stewart  as 
Professor  at  Andover.  "He  was  an  enthusiast  in 
sacred  philology.  5  *  *  He  originated  and  planned 
many  philanthropic  institutions." 

We  name  another  Edwards,  Rev.  David  Edwards, 
D.  D.,  Bishop  of  "The  United  Brethren,"  who  came 
from  Wales  in  1821.  He  was  a  man  of  great  power 
and  extensive  influence,  full  forty  years,  and  for 
twenty-seven  acting  bishop.  He  died  in  Baltimore, 
Md.,  having  well  served  his  generation,  his  church, 
his  country,  and  his  God;  a  moral  "factor"  of  ac- 
knowledged force. 

As  a  sample  of  the  moral  force  of  some  of  these 
educators,  we  might  name  Albert  Hopkins,  Professor 
of  Mathematics  and  Natural  Philosophy  in  Williams 
College.  In  1832  he  established  a  noon-day  prayer 
meeting  for  half  an  hour  four  times  a  week,  and 


242  Welshmen  as  Factors 

maintained  it  for  forty  years.  It  were  difficult  to  com- 
pute the  moral  value  of  such  a  factor.  "Acquaintance 
with  Prof.  Hopkins  was  a  means  of  grace."  (Schafr). 

In  1835,  Rev.  L.  Bevans  was  appointed  missionary 
of  the  M.  E.  Church  to  Iowa,  and  the  following  Con- 
ference he  reported  120  in  church  fellowship.  The  fol- 
lowing year,  the  M.  E.  Church  of  Jacksonville, 
Florida,  first  appeared  in  the  minutes,  its  pastor  being 
John  Jones,  reporting  a  membership  of  295  in  the 
Circuit  under  his  care.  The  first  M.  E.  Church  in 
Sacramento,  California,  was  built  on  this  wise:  A 
building  was  shipped  from  Baltimore,  and  Rev.  Isaac 
Owens  sent  to  superintend  the  erection.  In  one  week 
after  Mr.  Owen's  arrival  the  building  was  set  up,  and 
the  house  occupied,  though  unfinished,  in  a  week. 
This  was  the  fashion  of  that  indefatigable  minister. 
Rev.  W.  H.  Daniels,  A.  M.,  in  his  "History  of  j\±eth- 
odism,"  thus  refers  to  Bishop  Morris,  a  native  of  West 
Virginia:  ''Another  of  that  race  of  Western  heroes 
whose  lives  and  labors  have  so  blessed  the  rising 
Republic." 

In  closing  this  section  another  Welshman  is  called 
to  mind.  Robert  D.  Owen,  a  native  of  Newtown, 
iuontgomeryshire,  North  \Vales.  \Ve  think  it  not 
improper  to  allude  to  him.  He  may  serve  as  an.  object 
lesson.  He  was  a  man  of  great  genius,  and  withal 
anxious  for  the  betterment  of  the  working  classes. 
On  the  banks  of  the  Clyde,  Scotland,  he  had  succeeded 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  243 

in  furthering  an  experiment  for  uplifting  the  social 
condition  of  hands  employed  iin  works  erected  by  his 
father-in-law,  Mr.  Dak.  He  assumed  to  be  the 
"power  behind  the  throne"  and  strove  to  carry  out 
his  will  with  arbitrary  determination.  He  was  a  free- 
thinker of  the  freest  type,  and  an  avowed  antagonist 
of  the  morality  of  the  Christian  sects.  He  longed  for 
a  fair  field  in  which  to  test  his  pet  social  system.  He 
thought  this  New  World  offered  special  facilities  for 
making  the  desired  trial.  Towards  the  opening  of  the 
second  quarter  of  the  century  he  removed,  with  many 
hundreds  of  such  as  accepted  his  system.,  to  this  coun- 
try. According  to  general  opinion  and  acting,  this 
Welshman  had  gone  astray;  and  a  Welshman  will  be 
thorough,  even  in  his  wrong-doing.  He  attempted 
to  establish  here  a  Socialistic  Community,  with  "all 
things  common,"  and  every  man  a  law  to  himself. 
The  place  in  which  this  experiment  was  tried  was 
called  New  Harmony;  but,  as  might  have  been  pre- 
dicted, the  harmony  was  soon  lost,  and  discord  and 
disorder  so  prevailed  as  to  bring  to  naught  this  "New 
View  of  Society,"  at  Rapp's  establishment  in  Indiana. 
What  seemed  to  be  tolerably  satisfactory  and  success- 
ful at  New  Lanark,  in  the  Old  World,  proved  a  total 
failure  in  New  Harmony  here.  Mr.  Owen  believed 
in  our  government  as  far  as  it  went;  but  it  fell  short 
of  his  ideal,  and,  withal,  was  too  devoted  to  religion. 


244  Welshmen  as  Factors 

July  4th,  1826,  the  jubilee  of  our  national  history, 
he  issued  from  the  press,  his  famous  "Declaration  of 
Mental  Independence."  Afterwards  he  left  for  Eng- 
land, the  scheme,  on  which  he  had  set  his  heart,  hav- 
ing proved  abortive. 


FOURTH  SPAN  OF  OUR  BRIDGE. 


HARRISON  TO  GAKKIELD— 1841-1881. 

"We  are  dealing  with  a  long  span  of  this  bridge  of 
history.  This  period  spans  a  space  not  only  wider, 
but  in  some  respects  more  crovvdecl  with  important 
incidents  tnan  either  of  the  six  periods  embraced  in 
this  part  of  the  essay. 

The  Lincoln  Administration  and  the  war  uf  1861-5 
afford  proof  of  the  loyalty  and  love  of  liberty  which 
are  characteristics  of  the  Welsh.  That  Jefferson  Davis, 
General  Lee  and  others  in  the  South,  strayed  into 
erratic  ways  must  be  attributed  to  the  following 
causes:  First,  a  false  conception  of  State  rights. 
Second,  a  false  education  as  to  the  inferiority  of  the 
colored  and  enslaved  race.  Third,  a  false  estimate  of 
the  strength  of  the  South;  and  Fourth,  a  false  hope 
of  European  aid  and  favor.  The  man  of  Welsh  blood 
chosen  President  of  that  short-lived  Confederacy, 
prior  to  this  trouble,  was  the  true  and  trusted  friend 
of  the  Republic.  In  the  Mexican  war,  he  had  won 
distinguished  honors;  as  a  Senator  he  stood  high 
in  the  United  States  Congress — (1847-1851  and  1857- 
1861.)  He  was  exalted  to  the  position  of  Secretary 
of  the  War  Department,  an  office  he  held  without 
awakening  the  distrust  of  our  Government.  His 
friend,  General  B.  Butler,  has  written  of  him:  "He 


246  Welshmen  as  Factors 

was  not  an  original  dis-unionist,  but  felt  bound  to 
follow  his  State.  He  himself  told  me  this  in  Decem- 
ber, 1860.''  (Butler's  Book,  p.  139).  His  own  words 
are:  "My  first  allegiance  is  to  the  State  of  Mississippi, 
and  my  allegiance  to  the  State  of  Mississippi  over- 
rides any  allegiance  to  the  United  States."  The 
Vice-President,  A.  H.  Stephens,  was  in  our 
House  of  Representatives  from  1843  to  1859. 
"If  Mr.  Stephens  had  maintained  his  original 
devotion  to  the  National  idea,  a  noble  course  was  be- 
fore him."  (Blaine.)  Noted  exceptions  there  were; 
and  to  Southerners  of  this  nationality,  who  held  by 
the  Union,  we  would  be  glad  to  afford  considerable 
space.  To  one  there  will  be  special  notice  given, 
when  we  treat  of  the  war  record.  We  mean  the  re- 
nowned General  Thomas. 

The  conflict  was  as  inevitable  as  it  was  terrible; 
out  it  is  fair  to  confess  that  many  a  Welshman  be- 
lieved the  South  had  a  casns  belli,  founded  on  "State 
Rights."  In  the  House  of  Representatives  an  hon- 
orable member  of  this  nationality,  Thomas  T.  Davis, 
from  New  York,  spoke  in  the  4Oth  Congress  as  fol- 
lows: "We.  began  an  existence  as  a  Republic  with 
the  concession  that  slavery  was  not  inconsistent  with 
Republicanism  as  then  defined,  and  the  Southern 
States  have  held  that  slavery  and  aristocracy,  both, 
were  proper  appurtenances  to  a  Republican  Govern- 
ment. Moreover,  it  is  true  that  from  the  organization 


In  the  Development  of 'the  Republic.  247 

of  the  Union  Southern  statesmen  have  maintained 
the  doctrine  of  independent  sovereignty  in  the  States, 
and  asserted  the  heresy  that  each  State  might  termin- 
ate its  connection  with  the  Federal  Government  at 
any  time,  and  for  any  reason  it  might  deem  proper." 
The  philosophy  of  Calhoun  became  the  faith  of  many 
of  the  political  leaders  of  the  Southern  States.  *  *  * 
This  philosophy  inaugurated  and  sustained  the  Re- 
bellion, and  hecatombs  of  miserable  victims  were  sac- 
rificed in  its  honor.  I  am  not  prepared,  Mr.  Speaker, 
to  say  that  the  masses  of  the  Southern  people,  thus 
educated  and  thus  controlled,  were  not  as  sincere  in 
the  support  of  the  Rebellion  and  in  their  maintenance 
of  the  right  of  secession,  as  were  loyal  members  of  this 
House  in  putting  down  that  Rebellion.  *  *  *  I 
ask  myself,  'If  I  had  been  a  Southern  man,  educated 
with  Southern  views  and  surrounded  by  Southern 
institutions  would  I  have  been  a  Secessionist  f  and 
I  answer,  'Very  likely  I  would  have  been.'  " 

As  early  as  November  30,  1797,  "certain  citizens 
called  Quakers,"  sent  to  Congress  a  'Memorial  and 
address,"  signed  by  Jonathan  Evans,  s  clerk  of  the 
meeting,  setting  forth  in  the  strongest  terms  their 
opposition  to  slavery  and  the  slave  trade. 

Pronounced  disapproval  of  the  so-called  "Peculiar 
Institution"  was  characteristic  of  Welshmen,  both 
in  religion  and  in  political  circles. 

It  was  David  R.  Williams,  of  South  Carolina,  that 


24#  Welshmen  as  Factors 

made  a  motion  in  Congress,  February  7th,  1806,  "Re- 
solved, that  a  committee  be  appointed  to  inquire  if 
any,  and  if  any,  what  additional  provisions  are  neces- 
sary to  prevent  the  importation  of  slaves  into  the 
territories  of  the  United  States."  Ten  days  later, 
Mr.  Williams  being  chairman  of  the  committee  afore- 
named, recommended  the  following  resolution:  "Re- 
solved, That  it  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any  person  or 
persons  to  import  or  bring  into  any  of  the  territories 
of  the  United  States  any  slave  or  slaves,  that  may 
hereafter  be  imported  into  the  United  States."  Every- 
body can  now  see  the  wisdom  and  Tightness  of  this 
course. 

At  length  the  crisis  came.  "Liberty  and  Union" 
had  to  be  asserted,  defended,  maintained.  Then  fol- 
lowed 

THE  CIVIL  WAR, 

A  civil  war  the  most  gigantic  ever  known  in  history, 
whether  considered  in  the  light  of  money  expended 
or  fraternal  blood  that  flowed. 

Our  far-seeing  and  keen-sighted  Jefferson,  foresaw 
and  foretold,  that  slavocracy  and  slavery  would,  most 
certainly,  cause  serious  trouble  in  this  Republic. 
Upon  this  "rock  of  offense"  the  ship  of  State  would 
be  sure  to  strike,  sooner  or  later.  Certain  of  our 
wisest  statesmen  and  truest  patriots  lifted  up  their 
voices  to  denounce,  in  words  of  no  uncertain  sound 
the  crime  of  slave-holding,  especially  in  a  country 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  249 

that  claimed  to  be  par  excellence  the  "land  of  the 
free."  President  Lincoln's  statement  found  an  echo 
in  the  breasts  of  tens  of  thousands  of  Welshmen: — 
"This  Government  cannot  endure  permanently  half- 
,  slave  and  half-free."  The  Missouri  compromise,  fix- 
ing the  boundary  line  between  the  slave-holding  and 
non-slave-holding  States  and  Territories,  had  been 
enforced  full  thirty-four  years.  Out  of  the  repeal  of 
this  compromise,  and  the  obliteration  of  the  Mason 
and  Dixoivs  line,  arose  the  thousand  troubles  of  our 
Civil  War. 

An  illustrious  and  gifted  descendant  of  Rev.  George 
Phillips,  referred  to,  had  sided  with  William  Lloyd 
Garrison  and  the  degraded  slaves.  Wendell  Phillips 
championed  the  cause  of  abolition!  In  1839,  ne  re~ 
fused  to  hold  a  position  necessitating  an  oath  "to 
defend  the  Constitution,"  believing  that  instrument 
to  be  "unjust"  to  the  African  race,  and  "a  disgrace 
to  our  Republic."  For  thirty  years  he  fought  the 
monster  Slavery.  The  enslaved  had  now  grown  to  be 
four  millions;  so  that  under  the  administration  of 
Lincoln,  the  proportion  of  slaves  to  whites  and  free- 
men was  considerably  greater  than  during  the  Wash- 
ington Administration.  There  was  "money  in  it"  to 
the  slave-owners.  Elaine  estimated  the  capital  in- 
vested as  but  two  million  dollars,  and  that  this  sum 
"could  produce  three  hundred  million  dollars  a  year 
in  excess  of  the  required  food"  of  the  slave  hands. 


250  Welshmen  ai Factors 

No  wonder  Southerners  held  so  tenaciously  a  system 
that  brought  to  them  such  enormous  profits. 

The  cost  of  crushing-  this  monster  evil  will  be  in- 
ferred from  a  comparison  of  the  public  debt  of  1860 
witli  that  of  1866;  the  former  being  about  sixty-four 
and  a  half  million  dollars,  the  latter  being  more  than 
two  billion  seven  hundred  and  eighty-three  million 
dollars. 

We  find  the  foil  owing  men  of  Welsh  name  members 
of  Congress  during  this  eventful  period,  to  wit:  The 
Senators,  John  Davis,  of  Massachusetts,  in  1845-47; 
George  W.  Jones,  Iowa;  L.  W.  Powell,  Ken- 
tucky, 1859-65:  and  G.  Davis,  1861-73,  with  B. 
F.  Thomas,  Massachusetts,  "of  rare  eloquence;" 
J.  S.  Harris,.  Louisiana;  and  James  B.  Howell, 
Iowa.  In  the  Thirty-eighth  Congress,  the  House 
of  Representatives  had  Charles  M.  Harris,  from 
Illinois;  Hiram  Price,  from  Iowa;  Nehemiah 
Parry,  from  Maryland;  Thomas  T.  Davis  and  Daniel 
Morris,  from  New  York;  James  A.  Garfield  and 
James  R.  Morris,  from.  Ohio.  Garfield,  the  Christian 
scholar,  the  able  lawyer,  the  great  statesman,  the  re- 
nowned general,  the  Martyr  President,  was  in  the 
House  of  Representatives  during  the  41  st,  42nd,  43rd, 
and  44th  Congresses.  It  was  he  who  exclaimed,  after 
the  assassination  of  Lincoln,  "The  Lord  reigneth,  and 
the  Government  at  Washington  is  yet  alive!" 

On    the    commission     touching   the    Hayes-Tilden 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  251 

claim  to  the  Presidency,  the  Senators  Edmunds  and 
Morton,  and  the  Representative  Garfield  were  ap- 
pointed by  Congress.  When  the  Union  Republican 
National  Convention  met  in  Baltimore,  1864,  Gov- 
ernor Morgan,  of  New  York,  called  the  assembly  to 
order.  In  a  brief  but  emphatic  speech  he  advocated 
a  Constitutional  amendment  abolishing  slavery.  This 
led  the  way  to  the  death  of  that  "pet  institution," 
which  well  nigh  ruined  this  Union.  Another  New 
York  man,  D.  Morris,  had  said  in  Congress,  January, 
1864,  that  its  abolition  "was  a  necessary  preliminary 
to  the  reconstruction  of  the  Union."  Ira  Harris,  of 
New  York,  in  view  of  the  resolution,  "to  defend  and 
maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  Constitution,  and  to 
preserve  the  Union,"  foreseeing  the  possible  issue  of 
this  war,  said:  "He  would  not  shed  a  tear  over  that 
result,  but  yet  it  is  not  the  purpose  of  the  Govern- 
ment, in  prosecuting  the  war,  to  overthrow  slavery." 
One  thing  is  certain,  "Wherever  a  slave  was  held  the 
Confederate  leaders  adjudged  the  people  to  be  their 
friends  and  their  future  allies."  In  those  days  the 
following  men  were  Representatives  of  the  Keystone 
State;  John  Reynolds,  John  Davis,  John  Edwards, 
Edward  Davis,  Francis  James,  Samuel  W.  Morris, 
Edward  J.  Morris,  J.  G.  Jones,  Thaddeus  Stephens, 
E.  A.  Roberts,  John  Cadwallader,  Owen  Jones,  Will- 
iam D.  Morris,  Thomas  Williams,  Samuel  Griffiths, 


252 

M.  Clynier,  James  H.  Hopkins,  Joseph  Powell,  Isaac 
N.  Evans. 

Inheriting  his  capacity  from  an  honored  father, 
Hon.  Joseph  Lawrence,  who  died  during  his  mem- 
bership in  the  27th  Congress.  Hon.  G.  W.  Lawrence 
was  known  as  a  great  political  leader  in  Western 
Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Elaine's  estimate  of  the  place  and  power  of 
Hon.  Edwin  Morgan,  Governor  of  New  York  in 
1861,  is  thus  stated:  "A  man  of  wealth  himself,  he 
poss-essed  the  entire  confidence  of  the  bankers  and 
capitalists  of  the  metropolis,  his  influence  in  aid  of 
the  finances  of  the  government,  in  its  early  period  of 
depression,  was  given  without  stint  and  was  of  in- 
calcuable  value."  Hon.  Henry  W.  Davis,  a  member 
from  Baltimore,  was,  as  Blaine  remarks,  "under  all 
circumstances,  a  devoted  friend  of  the  Union,  an  arch 
enemy  of  the  secessionists.  Born  a  Southern  man, 
he  spoke  for  the  South,  for  its  duty  to  the  Federal 
Government,  for  its  best  and  highest  destiny;  to  him 
before  and  above  all  other  men  is  due  the  maintenance 
of  loyalty  in  Maryland.  *  *  He  made  elaborate 
preparation  by  the  study  of  all  public  questions,  and 
spoke  from  a  full  mind,  with  complete  command  of 
premises  and  conclusion.  In  all  that  appertained  to 
the  graces  of  oratory  he  was  unrivalled.  He  died  at 
forty-eight.  Had  he  been  blessed  with  length  of  days, 
the  friends  who  knew  his  ability  and  ambition  believed 


JOHN  H.  HARRIS,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  253 

that  he  would  have  left  the  most  brilliant  name  in  the 
parliamentary  annals  of  America."  (Twenty  Years 
of  Congress,  Vol.  I,  p.  499.)  Mr.  Davis  said  from  his 
seat  in  the  House,  rising  to  the  height  of  the  occa- 
sion, "The  American  people  dedicate  this  generation 
to  the  sword,  and  pouring  out  the  blood  of  their 
children,  demand  that  there  be  no  compromise,  that 
ruin  to  the  Republic  or  ruin  to  the  Rebel  Confed- 
eracy are  the  only  alternatives,  that  no  peace  shall  be 
made  except  under  the  banner  of  victory;  standing 
on  this  great  resolve  to  accept  nothing  but  victory  or 
ruin — Victory  is  ours." 

There  has  been  no  such  crisis  in  the  history  of  the 
Republic  as  that  protracted  and  gigantic  Civil  War 
of  '61-5.  To  save  our  Union,  and  blot  out  the  slavery 
curse,  the  Government,  from  first  to  last,  called  for  as 
many  as  2,759,049  men.  These  served  from  three 
months  to  three  years  or  more.  The  cost  of  that 
struggle  was  well  nigh  $3,000,000,000,  and  the  loss 
of  life  horrible  to  contemplate.  There  were  in  North- 
ern prisons  when  the  war  closed,  no  less  than  98,802 
Confederates;  and  when  General  Lee  surrendered  to 
General  Grant  at  Appomatox,  there  were  probably 
300,000  men  under  arms  against  our  Government. 

This  period  called  for  men  of  strong  mind,  of  ster- 
ling integrity,  of  large  and  self-sacrificing  patriotism. 
We  are  thankful  that  in  the  trying  times  of  the  Re- 
bellion, this  nationality  furnished  so  many  good  men 


254  Welshmen  as  Factors 

and  trine — able  to  cope  with  difficulties,  which  might 
have  discouraged  less  stalwart  souls.  Had  there  been 
no  other  matter  worthy  of  note,  from  the  inaugura- 
tion of  Harrison  to  that  of  Garfield,  the  incidents  of 
this  war  would  suffice  to  make  it  noteworthy.  The 
good  and  great  and  loved,  now  late  Dr.  Chidlaw,  was 
called  "a  brave  soldier,"  in  the  cause  of  the  Union 
and  of  Liberty.  His  comrades  in  arms  delighted  to 
do  him  honor,  when,  last  August,  (1892),  his  remains 
were  laid  away  in  the  Bereah  Cemetery,  the  Stars 
and  Stripes,  dear  "Old  Glory,"  lay  on  his  coffin, 
which  had  been  brought  from  Freedom-loving  Wales ! 
Mr.  Halstead,  New  York,  referring  to  Mr.  Chidlaw, 
says,  "He  could  not  keep  out  of  the  war,  and  had  to 
go  as  a  chaplain.  He  was  an  ideal  chaplain,  known 
to  the  whole  army  with  which  he  served,  for  ins  ear- 
nestness, his  fearlessness,  his  friendliness,  his  affec- 
tionate devotion  to  the  soldiers,  his  tender  ministra- 
tions in  times  of  trouble,  his  charities,  his  patriotism, 
the  pathos  of  his  services  amid  the  perils  of  war,  his 
eloquence,  tliat  was  as  quickening  as  a  bugle  note." 

Without  delay,  loyal  States  and  loyal  hearts  rallied 
around  the  Union,  in  so  far  as  they  discerned  her  peril. 
As  of  old,  so  now,  New  England  and  Pennsylvania, 
were  forward  in  this  matter.  Samples  of  men  of  Welsh 
blood  were  Colonel  Edward  F.  Jones,  of  Lowell, 
Mass.,  and  Lawyer  Francis  W.  Hughes,  of  Pottsville, 
Pennsylvania.  Of  the  former,  General  Butler  writes: 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  255 

"I  was  fully  content  with  Colonel  Jones,  of  whom  I 
had  a  very  high  appreciation."  *  *  *  By  the  I7th 
of  April,  i8(5i,  this  Colonel  had  his  regiment  on  the 
way  to  Philadelpnia  and  via  Baltimore,  to  Washing- 
ton. "His  route  to  New  York  was  an  ovation,  his 
reception  there  was  one  of  extravagant  and  tumul- 
tuous joy.  *  *  *  The  citizens  of  Philadelphia 
encamped  them  at  the  Girard  House,  the  President 
met  the  regiment  at  the  depot  in  Washington,  and 
taking  Colonel  Jones  by  the  hand,  said,  ''Thank  God 
you  have  come !  for  if  you  had  not,  Washington  would 
have  been  in  the  hands  of  the  Rebels  before  morning." 

On  the  soldiers'  monument,  Potts ville,  the  slab  on 
the  east  side  bears  this  inscription,  "The  Washington 
Artillery,  and  National  Light  Infantry  of  Pottsville, 
246  men,  were  a  part  of  the  530  Pennsylvanians  who 
first  arrived  for  the  defense  of  the  National  Capital," 
April  18,  1861 !" 

The  grand  lawyer,  Mr.  F.  W.  Hughes,  was  sent  to 
the  Peace  Congress  at  Harrisburg,  in  February,  but 
seeing  that  war  was  inevitable,  he  was  prompt  to 
support  the  Union.  He  aided  in  fitting  out  one  of 
tne  first  five  companies  that  reached  Washington. 
He  maintained,  with  voice  and  pen,  the  legal  right 
of  the  Government  to  put  down  rebellion  by  force  of 
arms.  And  yet  another  example  of  prompt  action — 
in  1863,  when  Pennsylvania  was  being  invaded,  Dr. 
Henry  Roberts,  son  of  Honorable  Henry  Roberts,  of 


256  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Wyoming,  within  twenty-four  hours  raised  a  com- 
pany and  accompanied  them  to  Harrisburg,  where  he 
organized  the  Thirteenth  Regiment. 

We  would,  were  we  writing  a  history  of  this  nation- 
ality in  the  late  war,  give  space  to  their  war  record, 
as  it  is  found  in  every  State,  East  or  West.  This  is 
neither  possible  nor  imperative  here.  We  make  but 
a  passing  note  of  such  factors  outside  the  Keystone 
State,  and  within  this  State,  dwell  only  on  a  county 
or  two.  The  Utica  Eisteddfod',  three  years  ago  last 
January,  offered  a  prize  and  gold  medal  for  an  essay 
on  "The  Part  Taken  by  the  Welsh  of  New  York  and 
Vermont,  in  the  Late  Civil  War."  That  was  a  broad 
field  of  investigation.  It  is  stated  to  the  honor  of 
Tennessee  that  she  sent  to  the  war  at  least  thirty-five 
thousand  white  troops,  "as  brave  as  ever  followed  the 
•flag." — (Elaine.)  Many  of  these  were  doubtless  men 
of  Welsh  blood.  Colonel  Stepnen  Thomas  was  ap- 
pointed Colonel  of  the  regiment  which  Butler  raised 
in  Vermont,  at  the  opening  of  the  war.  Captain  R. 
S.  Davis  was  one  of  Butler's  staff  officers  when  start- 
ing on  his  Gulf  campaign.  L.  Thomas,  Adjutant- 
General  in  1861,  and  Cadwalader,  acting  as  Brevet- 
General,  were  able  factors.  Percy  Daniels  was  Cap- 
tain of  the  Seventh  Rhode  Island  Infantry;  David 
M.  Evans,  New  York,  was  Lieutenant-Colonel;  Ed- 
ward Evans.  Captain;  Tosiah  B.  Howell,  Colonel;  S. 
Williams,  Brigadier-General.  Provost  Brigadier- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  257 

General  Frederick  H.  Harris,  whose  father's  ances- 
tors were  from  Wales,  was  engaged  in  the  New  Jersey 
force  sent  to  beat  back  the  Rebels  who  assailed  us  in 
the  three  days'  campaign  at  Gettysburg. 

During  the  famous  Virginia  campaign  of  '64-5,  we 
find  the  following  in  special  service :  Charles  L.  Davis 
had  charge  of  the  Signal  Corps  of  Major-General 
M  cade's  forces;  of  the  Second  Army  Corps,  A.  A. 
Humphreys  was  Major-General,  B.  R.  Price,  was 
Brigadier-General.  In  the  Second  Division  of  the 
Fiftn  Army  Corps,  James  Gwyn  was  Colonel,  and  had 
charge  of  the  Third  Brigade.  In  the  Sixth  Army 
Corps,  First  Division,  Colonel  O.  Edwards  was  at 
the  head  of  Third  Brigade.  In  Thirteenth  Division 
of  Ninth  Army  Corps,  the  Second  Brigade  was  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Joseph  A.  Matthews;  of  Sheri- 
dan's Cavalry,  H.  E.  Davis  was  Brigadier-General. 
In  the  Arm}-  of  the  James,  Colonel  C.  F.  Adam,  Jr., 
was  cavalry  commander.  In  the  24th  Army  Corps, 
Third  Division,  Colonel  Thomas  M.  Harris,  com- 
manded the  Third  Brigade.  At  this  time,  N.  J.  Evans 
was  Brigadier  General,  William  Humphreys,  Colonel ; 
then  there  were  Generals  Jenkins,  J.  W.  Jones,  S. 
Jones,  Lewis,  C.  Lee,  Morris,  and  Owen,  Perry  and 
Williams. 

When  the  President  called  for  100  days'  volunteers, 
Captain  William  R.  Jones  got  up  a  company,  and 
was  appointed  to  the  I94th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers. 


258  Welshmen  as  Factors 

When  many  of  the  I93rd  and  I94th  re-entered  the 
service  at  the  end  of  the  one  hundred  days,  the  Sec- 
retary of  War  allowed  them  to  organize  themselves 
into  a  company  and  choose  their  own  captain.  Out 
of  twenty  candidates,  Captain  Jones  was  chosen.  He 
was  congratulated  by  General  Lew  Wallace,  the  now 
famous  author,  for  having  "one  of  the  best  companies 
in  the  service."  Of  the  provost  guard  that  did  arduous 
duty  at  Harrisburg  and  Washington,  Wellington 
Jones  was  Captain  and  Samuel  Jones  First  Sergeant. 

Of  the  Pennsylvanians  in  this  war  bearing  Welsh 
names  we  note  the  following:  Miles  Evans,  was  First 
Lieutenant  of  the  I2th  United  States  Infantry,  and 
famed  for  gallant  services.  W.  S.  Foulk,  was  in- 
trusted with  important  responsibility  throughout  this 
conflict.  Under  General  G.  H.  Thomas  he  received 
and  forwarded  for  several  months  five  to  seven  thou- 
sand men  daily,  in  1864.  Two  years  later,  the  war 
being  over,  he  settled  in  the  coal  business  in  Phila- 
delphia, receiving  commission  as  Second  Lieutenant 
of  i8th  Infantry,  U.  S.  Andrew  A.  Humphreys, 
Brevet  Major-General  of  the  United  States  Army, 
author  of  "The  Virginia  Capaign  of  '64  and  '65," 
was  a  soldier  of  renown,  and  rendered  full  forty  years' 
service.  Specially  commended  were  the  services  he 
rendered  at  Gettysburg.  Colonel  John  Lewis  served 
in  all  the  campaigns  of  the  famous  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  received  high  commendation.  Lieu- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  259 

tenant  C.  Williams  held  command  on  several  occa- 
sions, and  made  an  excellent  record.  S.  B.  Bates 
prepared,  in  compliance  with  order  of  the  Legislature, 
and  published  in  1871,  the  "History  of  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers,  '61-5."  This  elaborate  work  is  in  five 
volumes  quarto:  B.  Singerly,  Harrisburg,  State 
Printer.  Of  the  commissioned  officers  named  in  this 
work,  we  find  in  all  over  seven  hundred  that  have 
purely  Welsh  names.  Among  these,  we  have  Phillips, 
24;  Roberts,  28;  Thomas,  35;  Williams,  38;  Jones,  60; 
Davis,  64.  Of  officers  in  command,  the  following  are 
named:  George  Cadwalader  commanded  a  division 
in  Patterson's  Army;  W.  W.  H.  Davis  commanded 
the  io4th  Regiment;  James  Gwyn,  the  n8th;  Joseph 
B.  Howell,  the  85th;  A.  A.  Humphreys,  Division  of 
the  Fifth  Corps;  David  M.  Jones  commanded  the 
noth;  George  W.  Jones,  the  I5oth;  John  R.  Jones, 
the  58th;  Ezra  W.  Matthews,  Battalion  F.,  ist  Ar- 
tillery; Jos.  A.  Matthews,  the  i28th  and  2o5th; 
S.  A.  Meredith,  the  56th;  David  E.  Morris,  the  loist; 
Joshua  T.  Owens,  the  69th;  Richard  B.  Price,  the 
59th;  John  F.  Reynolds  commanded  Brigade  of  Re- 
serve Militia  of  1862;  Joseph  Roberts  had  command 
of  the  3rd  Artillery;  R.  B.  Roberts  of  First  Regiment; 
Richard  P.  Roberts,  of  the  i4Oth;  George  H.  Thomas 
commanded  as  Brigadier  in  Patterson's  Army  at 
Chattanooga;  William  B.  Thomas  commanded  the 
I92nd  Regiment;  David  H.  Williams,  the  82nd;  E. 


260  Welshmen  as  Factors 

C.  Williams  had  command  as  Brigadier  in  Patterson's 
Army  and  Ninth  Cavalry.  Then  there  were  as  field 
officers,  the  following  Colonels:  Richard  Ellis,  Owen 
Jones,  William  D.  Lewis,  Jr.,  Joseph  T.  Owen,  R.  B. 
Roberts,  J.  R.  Jones,  Edward  S.  Jones.  As  Brevet 
Colonels,  David  Miles,  A.  S.  Morgan,  David  H. 
Williams,  Thomas  C.  James,  David  B.  Morris,  Ed- 
ward C.  Williams.  The  following  were  Lieutenant- 
Colonels:  Richard  M.  Jones,  John  B.  Miles,  William 
Davis,  William  Lewis,  A.  Phillips,  A.  H.  Reynolds, 
Amos  E.  Griffiths,  Charles  M.  Harris.  David  M. 
Jones;  as  Brigadier-Generals,  Josiah  T.  Owens,  B.  R. 
Price,  Bvt. ;  William  H.  H.  Davis,  Bvt. ;  and  Joseph 
B.  Howell,  Bvt.  The  following  were  Majors,  A.  E. 
Lewis,  Arnold  C.  Lewis,  E.  W.  Matthews,  Joseph  A. 
Matthews,  Jesse  Phillips,  Thomas  S.  Richards,  George 
E.  Clymer,  Nathan  Davis,  Charles  C.  Davis,  Robert 
Morris,  Abraham  D.  Price,  Samuel  Roberts,  Ephraim 
Rowlands,  Jacob  M.  Davis,  David  B.  Jenkins,  Griffith 
Jones. 

On  the  west  slab  of  the  monument  referred  to  in 
Pottsville,  we  have  the  following:  "From  a  popula- 
tion of  90,000  Schuylkill  County,  during  the' War  of 
Secession  gave  to  the  Army  and  Navy  of  the  Union, 
13,000  Volunteers."  General  Horace  Porter  remarked 
in  the  oration  delivered  at  the  dedication  of  tue  monu- 
ment, Thursday,  October  i,  1891:  "If  there  be  a 
county  in  all  the  Keystone  State  which  is  pre-emi- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  261 

nently  deserving  to  have  a  monument  such  as  this 
erected  within  your  midst,  that  county  is  Schuylkill."* 
Referring  to  the  large  proportion  of  her  people 
who  enlisted,  the  orator  further  said,  that  "upon  the 
same  basis  of  enlistment,  the  State  of  Pennsylvania 
alone,  with  her  three  millions  of  'population  could 
have  furnished  an  army  four  times  the  maximum  size 
of  the  mighty  army  of  the  Potomac.  *  :;c  Within 
one  week  after  the  proclamation  calling  for  troops 
brave  old  Schuylkill  had  sent  to  the  front  twenty- 
three  companies  of  two  thousand  men!"  Turning  to 
the  story  of  the  famous  mine  in  front  of  Petersburg, 
the  General  continued:  "That,  you  know,  w:as  con- 
ceived and  executed  by  the  48th,  not  by  direction  of, 
rather  in  spite  of  commanding  generals.  When  Gen- 
eral Grant  heard  of  this  gigantic  work  he  \vas  amazed ; 
with  his  quick  military  instinct  he  determined  to  make 
it  the  basis  of  an  important  movement  to  break 
through  the  enemy's  lines.  With  natural  skill,  he  de- 
coyed a  great  part  of  Lee's  army  to  the  opposite  side 
of  the  James.  I  went  with  him  the  night  before  the 
movement.  We  bivouced  just  in  the  rear  of  the  mine 
with  the  troops.  At  a  quarter  past  three  in  the  morn- 
ing we  were  up,  listening  for  the  explosion  which 
was  to  occur  from  the  320  kegs  of  powder  which  had 
been  carried  into  the  bowels  of  the  earth  upon  the 


*  F.  B.  Wallace,  Pottsville,  Pa.,  compiled  a  "Memorial  of  the  Patriot- 
ism of  Schuylkill  County,"  during  the  years  of  the  war.  This  volume  of 
548  pages  is  most  interesting.  It  was  published  in  1865. 


262  Welshmen  as  Factors 

brawny  shoulders  of  the  gallant  48th.  The  hour  came, 
but  no  sound;  a  quarter  of  an  hour  of  anxious  sus- 
pense passed,  still  no  explosion;  then  came  the  news 
that  the  fuses  had  failed;  another  quarter  of  an  hour 
passed,  the  minutes  seemed  like  ages;  the  whole 
movement  depended  upon  that  little  spark  that  was 
to  fire  the  mine."  Major  General  Burnside  stated 
that  he  learned  "the  fuse  had  gone  out,  and  that  a 
gallant  soldier  named  Sergeant  Reese,  of  the  48th 
Pennsylvania,  had  volunteered  to  go  into  the  gallery 
to  ascertain  whether  the  fuse  was  really  burning  still, 
and  burning  slowly,  or  whether  it  had  failed.  He  dis- 
covered that  it  had  failed,  and  refired  it."  This  heroic 
Welshman,  Henry  Reese,  died  May,  1893.  He  was 
a  Minersville  man,  and  about  .the  first  both  to  hoist 
the  first  liberty  pole  in  that  borough,  and  to  fly  to  the 
rescue  of  the  old  flag  in  this  hour  of  danger.  Four 
hundred  men  had  been  engaged  in  this  important 
undertaking.  S.  Williams,  assistant  Adjutant  General, 
wrote,  August  3rd,  1864:  "The  willing  endurance  by 
the  officers  and  men  of  the  regiment,  the  extraordin- 
ary labor  and  fatigue  involved  in  tiie  prosecution  of 
the  work  to  completion,  is  worthy  of  the  highest 
praise."  The  size  of  the  crater  formed  by  the  explo- 
sion was  at  least  two  hundred  feet  long,  fifty  feet 
wide,  and  twenty-five  feet  deep.  The  scheme  did  not 
prove  as  successful  as  was  anticipated.  Several  causes 
contributed  to  the  partial  failure  of  results,  especially 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  263 

the  tardiness  of  officers,  Generals  Ledlie  and  Ferrero, 
who  were  to  seize  the  golden  moment  and  push  for- 
ward whilst  the  Rebels  were  still  panic-stricken.  On 
the  day  previous  Major-General  Meade,  through  As- 
sistant Adjutant-General  S.  Williams,  had  given  or- 
ders stating  that  "prompitude,  rapidity  of  execution, 
and  cordial  co-operation  were  essential  to  success."* 
In  Luzerne  County,  Pa.  Volunteers,  we  find  some 
regiments  wherever  Welshmen  were  remarkably 
numerous.  For  instance,  the  77th,  John  M.  Thomas, 
chaplain.  In  this  regiment  were  very  many  of  this 
nationality,  both  privates  and  officers;  Major  A. 
Phillips,  Adjutant  P.  Davis,  Sergeant-Major  William 
B.  Price.  In  April,  i8di,  William  H.  Thomas  was 
promoted  First  Lieutenant,  and  in  1865,  William 
Watkins  was  granted  similar  promotion.  Evan 
Waters  and  William  Morris,  and  George  Stevens  rose 
to  the  rank  of  First  Sergeants.  The  following  were 
made  Corporals,  Philip  Waters,  E.  L.  Evans,  James 

*  Of  the  famous  48th  Pa.  Vols.  Regiment,  James  Ellis  was  quarter- 
master on  the  staff,  William  Lee  and  Albert  Bowen  were  in  the  band. 
The  following  were  lieutenants:  First  lieutenants,  Henry  James,  Alex- 
ander Bowen,  Jos.  Edwards;  second  lieutenant,  Jos.  L.  Williams;  ser- 
geants, H.  H.  Price,  W.  D.  Hughes,  John  Watkins,  Henry  P.  Owens, 
John  W.  Jenkins,  Henry  Reese,  Richard  Hopkins,  Geo.  Edwards,  Richard 
M.  Jones,  Chas.  B.  Evans,  T.  P.  Williams,  David  J.  Davis,  Samuel  Lewis, 
James  Evans,  William  J  Morgan,  Henry  Jenkins,  Jeremiah  Griffiths, 
William  Hopkins,  John  Powell,  R.  A.  Jenkins,  William  A.  Lloyd,  Oliver 
H.  J.  Davis,  Benjamin  Williams,  Francis  Jones.  Of  privates,  these  Welsh- 
men were  too  numerous  for  insertion  here.  The  casualties  of  the  s8th, 
the  large  number  of  killed,  wounded  and  missing,  showed  the  heroism 
displayed  by  this  regiment.  They  were  in  the  battles  of  Bull's  Run,  (Sec- 
ond), and  Chantilly,  of  South  Mountain,  of  Antietam,  of  Fredericksburg, 
of  the  Wilderness,  and  Spottsylvania;  before  Petersburg,  and  at  the  Siege 
of  Knoxville.  Several  Welshmen  were  among  the  Minersville  Artiller- 
ists, and  of  the  Minersville  Ringold  Rifles,  S.  Reynolds  was  second  lieu- 
tenant; T.  D.  Griffiths  and  Jno.  I.  Williams,  sergeants;  W.  E.  Jones  and 
John  Evans,  corporals. 


264  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Phillips,  Lewis  Herbert,  Thomas  Morgan,  Benjamin 
Phillips,  John  E.  Thomas  and  Joseph  Thomas,  the 
latter  was  also  Captain  of  Company  H.  in  the  77th. 
The  8ist,  P.  V.,  had  the  following  as  officers:  In 
Company  H,  Thomas  C.  Williams  was  Captain,  and 
W.  J.  Williams  was  First  Lieutenant,  and  D.  J. 
Phillips  and  Thomas  Morton  Second  Lieutenants, 
David  Reese  and  Edward  Reynolds  were  Sergeants, 
and  David  Williams  Corporal.  In  Company  K,  Will- 
iam Richards  was  Surgeon  of  the  Division.  From  this 
county  were  the  following  Colonels:  I43rd  Regiment, 
9th  Co.,  T.  D.  Lewis;  56th,  S.  A.  Meredith;  92111!, 
Edward  C.  Williams.  Colonel  Jones  fell  in  battle 
May,  1863.  George  N.  Richards  was  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  in  the  i43rd,  and  in  it  C.  K.  Hughes  was 
Major,  and  John  Jones,  Jr.,  Adjutant,  C.  Humphrey 
Sergeant,  and  Joseph  L.  Lewis  Hospital  Steward. 
Again  in  Co.  A  of  this  Regiment,  Samuel  J.  james 
and  David  G.  Davis  were  Sergeants;  in  Co.  B,  George 
W.  Hopkins  was  First  Sergeant,  George  Perry,  A. 
Harris  and  Owen  Phillips  Second  Sergeants,  John 
Richards  Corporal;  in  Company  D,  George  A.  Reese 
was  First  Lieutenant,  and  William  Griffith  Corporal; 
in  Company  H,  John  C.  Morris  was  Captain;  in 
Company  I,  Jesse  Harrison  was  First  Sergeant;  in 
Company  K,  Benjamin  F.  \Valters  was  Captain,  and 
William  Stevens  Corporal.  We  find  men  of  Welsh 
name  as  officers  in  the  28th,  38th,  4ist,  46th,  5oth, 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  265 

53rd,  56th,  571!:,  6ist,  62111!,  64th,  74th,  92110!,  96th, 
1 32nd,  1 36th,  i62iid,  178111  Regiments,  in  all  of  which 
were  more  or  less  Welshmen  who  desired  and  fought 
to  secure  both  the  downfall  of  slavocracy  and  the 
triumph  ot  our  Government. 

It  were  a  pleasing  task  to  follow  this  line  of  inves- 
tigation throughout  the  Keystone  State,  at  least;  but 
we  must  refer  the  inquiring  mind  to  the  various 
county  and  State  histories,  so  replete  with  proof, 
that  in  this,  as  in  former  crises  of  our  Republic, 
Welshmen  played  important  parts,  and  rendered  will- 
ing, self-sacrificing  service  for  the  well-being  of  the 
Republic.  Should  any  future  emergency  arise,  they 
may  be  counted  on  to  prove  their  true  loyalty,  their 
Hearty  patriotism,  their  readiness  to  practice  "Vir- 
tue, Liberty  and  Independence" — taking  "virtue"  in 
the  old  sense  of  the  word,  military  courage. 

The  following  bearing  Welsh  names  are  some  of 
the  Chaplains  of  the  army,  Rev.  Arthur  Edwards, 
D.  I).,  served  nearly  three  years;  Rev.  Arthur  G. 
Thomas,  served  as  Chaplain  in  the  United  States 
Army  Hospitals;  Rev.  A.  Rowland,  D.  D.,  was  Chap- 
lain of  the  175th  Regiment  of  Pennsylvania  Volun- 
teers, in  1862.  Rev.  Charles  A.  Davis  served  as 
Chaplain  of  the  United  States  Navy,  and  "for  a  num- 
ber of  years  was  employed  in  one  of  the  Departments 
of  the  Government  in  Washington."  In  1864,  Pro- 
fessor Williams,  of  Ohio  Wesleyan  University,  served 


266  Welshmen  as  Factors 

as  Chaplain  of  the  -T45th  Regiment,  Ohio  Volunteers. 

In  those  days,  Mr.,  afterwards.  Honorable  Hiram 
Price,  of  Iowa,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  was  a  prac- 
tical and  earnest  advocate  of  the  Northern  cause. 
His  State  having  no  funds  available,  he  quartered  and 
fed  about  five  thousand  infantry  and  cavalry  for  sev- 
eral months  at  his  own  expense. 

Shakespeare  said  of  Llewellyn,  "There  is  much 
care  and  valor  in  this  Welshman, "  and  what  was 
affirmed  of  that  great  soldier  may  be  said  of  the 
heroic  Henry  Thomas.  We  are  the  more  inclined  to 
give  honor  to  this  Virginian,  General  'I  iiomas,  for 
the  reasons  following:  That  he,  being  a  Southerner, 
espoused  the  cause  of  the  Union  against  the  Con- 
federacy, and  again  because  our  Government  failed 
to  confer  upon  him  the  honor  he  deserved.  The  dis- 
cussion as  to  Lieutenant-Generalship  dealt  with  the 
relative  claims  of  Sherman  and  Thomas;  it  was  felt 
that  the  people  desired  a  national  recognition  of  the 
heroic  achievements  of  General  Thomas.  He  died 
March,  1870,  at  the  age  of  fifty-four.  "The  popular 
regret  that  he  had  not  been  appropriately  recognized 
by  the  National  Government  for  his  services,  was 
deepened  by  his  imtimely  death."  (Olaine.)  In  Mr. 
I  Maine's  opinion,  without  the  great  victory  of  Gen, 
Thomas  at  Nashville,  "Sherman  might  have  been 
seriously  embarrassed  in  his  march  to  the  sea."  In 
a  critical  juncture  in  the  history  of  the  late  war, 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  267 

Sherman,  Schofield  and  Thomas  "held  a  consultation" 
at  Chattanooga,  where  Gen.  Thomas  had  seventy 
thousand  men  under  his  command.  Says  Gen.  Sher- 
man:  "\Ve  had  nothing  like  the  council  of  war,  but 
consulted  frankly  and  freely  on  all  matters  of  inter- 
est to  us."  Of  the  result  of  this  meeting  Major- 
General  Howard  writes,  "ihe  next  month  was  preg- 
nant with  the  faith  and  hope  of  the  coming  cam- 
paign; and  \Y.  F.  Johnson  remarks,  "The  nation 
was  now  to  see  some  scientific  warfare."  How  much 
of  that  "beginning  of  the  end"  was  attributed  to 
Gen.  Thomas'  foresight  and  force,  may  never  be  told; 
but  it  is  certain  he  was  a  most  important  factor  in 
securing  the  longed  for  consultation.  He  acted  as 
one  of  the  corps  commanders  of  General  Sherman's 
army,  and  the  great  soldier  had  (darned*  to  place 
implicit  confidence  in  the  good  judgment  and  mili- 
tary genius  of  Thomas.  Dr.  Pirockett  has  classed  this 
man  among  the  choicest  generals  of  our  war:  "Gen. 
'J  liomas  may  be  ranked  as  the  third  soldier  of  the 
Republic."  In  Butler's  book,  chapter  15,  we  read: 
"An  example  of  what  can  be  done  by  following  up  a 
repulse  is  seen  in  the  result  of  the  action  of  General 
Thomas  at  Nashville,  by  which  he  substantially  de- 
stroyed Hood's  army."  This  event  afforded  Sher- 
man a  safe  march  "from  Atlanta  to  the  sea."  Thomas, 
in  1867,  was  assigned  the  command  of  the  Third 
Military  District,  embracing  Georgia,  Florida  and 


268  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Alabama.  In  1869  he  had  command  of  the  military 
division  of  the  Pacific.  He  died  the  following  year.* 

In  the  Tennessee  Eisteddfod,  held  in  Chattanooga, 
October,  1891,  a  prize  of  thirty  dollars  \vas  given  for 
the  bes,t  essay  on  "The  History  and  Bravery  of  the 
Welsh  who  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  Civil  War 
of  the  United  States/'  Ought  not  such  an  essay  to 
have  been  translated  and  given  to  English  readers? 
The  president  of  that  Eisteddfod,  Hon.  J.  T.  Williams, 
should,  in  our  opinion,  have  urged  this,  and  seen  to  it, 
that  full  justice  was  done  to  General  Thomas,  of  im- 
mortal fame. 

We  must  here  mention  men  of  Welsh  name  that 
stood  high  in  our  Navy. 

A  study  of  this  subject  reveals  the  frequent  occur- 
rence of  these  names;  for  example,  in  Hammersly's 
"Records  of  Living  Officers  of  the  United  States 
Navy,"  published  in  1870,  a  large  number  of  these 
are  found.  The  volume  was  dedicated  to  the  "Officers 
of  the  United  States  Navy  and  Marine  Corps,"  be- 
cause their  services  and  valor,  and  patriotism  so  much 
aided,  with  Divine  help,  to  make  gloriously  success- 
ful the  great  Civil  War.  Our  Navy  was  active  not 
only  in  vigilant  watch  of  foreign  ships  and  in  maintain- 
ing a  blockade  along  so  extended  a  coast  line  as 

*  We  take  pleasure  in  stating  that  two  generals  of  Welsh  name- 
Powell  and  Prichard— were  captors  of  the  fugitive,  President  of  the  Con- 
federacy, Jefferson  Davis- -"Diamond  cuts  diamond." 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  269 

faced  the  Southern  waters,*  but  also  in  giving  effi- 
cient aid  to  our  Government  troops  for  the  overthrow 
of  the  enemies'  works.  This  last  service  was  grandly 
rendered  by  the  West  Gulf  Squadron  and  the  Missis- 
sippi Squadron.  It  is  claimed  that  this  work  of  343 
pages  is  "compiled  from  official  sources." 

Among  Rear  Admirals,  equal  in  rank  to  Major- 
Generals  in  the  Army,  we  find  a  native  of  Massachu- 
setts, Charles  H.  Davis,  who  climbed  to  this  high 
position,  step  by  step.  He  was  known  as  Midshipman 
Davis,  Commander  Davis,  Captain  Davis,  Flag-Offi- 
cer Davis.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  Virginian, 

-  O 

L.  M.  Powell,  appointed  Midshipman,  then  Lieuten- 
ant, Commander,  Captain,  Commodore,  Rear  Ad- 
miral. Another  Virginian,  Samuel  Phillips  Lee,  came 
to  the  position  of  Captain,  equal  to  a  Colonel  in  the 
Army,  and  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the  North 
Atlantic  Blockading  Squadron,  with  the  rank  of  Act- 
ing Rear  Admiral.  While  so  acting  "he  greatly  har- 
assed the  enemy  by  numerous  expeditions  up  the 
navigable  streams  within  the  limits  of  his  squadron." 
He  was  at  all  times  ready  to  co-operate  with  the  army; 
and  on  more  than  one  occasion,  the  presence  of  his 

*  The  foreign  claim  was  "blockades  in  order  to  be  binding  must  be 
effective,"  so  said  England  and  France.  With  a  coast  line  of  several 
thousand  miles  to  blockade,  the  undertaking  was  enormous,  and  the  effec- 
tiveness of  the  work  really  amazing,  all-be-it,  some  did  "run"  the  block- 
ade. The  area  of  the  field  of  conflict  is  given  at  eight  hundred  square 
miles.  In  May,  1861,  Earl  Derby  made  this  statement:  "A  blockade  ex- 
tending over  a  space  to  which  if  is  impossible  that  an  effectual  blockade, 
can  be  applied,  will  not  be  recognized  as  valid  by  the  British  Govern- 
ment." 


2 -jo  Welshmen  as  Factors 

vessels  "saved  the  military  forces  from  serious  dis- 
aster." Transferred  to  the  command  of  the  Missis- 
sippi Squadron  in  1864,  in  December  of  that  year, 
he  rendered  good  service  to  the  country  by  keeping- 
open  the  Cumberland  river,  at  the  time  Hood's  Army 
was  advancing  on  Nashville;  and  when  the  safety  of 
the  Army  under  General  Thomas  depended  in  a  great 
measure  upon  reinforcements  and  supplies  reaching 
them  promptly,  the  railroad  communication  between 
Louisville  and  Xashville  having  been  interrupted,  this 
Cumberland  river  was  the  only  channel  of  communi- 
cation. Commodore,  equalling  Brigadier-General 
in  the  Army,  T.  A.  Jenkins,  uas  a  native  of  Virginia. 
He  was  the  senior  officer  present  at  the  repulse  of  the 
Rebels  at  Coggin's  Point,  James  river,  and  at  the 
attack  of  the  enemy  on  the  flotilla,  off  City  Point,. 
James  river,  in  August,  1862.  Again  lie  served  as 
Fleet  Captain  of  Farragut's  Squadron  at  the  passage 
of  Port  Hudson,  March,  1863,  and  of  Grand  Gulf 
Batteries  and  Warrenton  that  same  spring.  At  the 
surrender  of  Port  Hudson,  July  9th,  1863,  and  at  the 
battle  of  Mobile  Bay,  August  5th,  1864,  he  com- 
manded the  steam  sloop  "Richmond."  Admiral  Far- 
ragut,  in  one  at  least  of  his  reports,  makes  special 
mention  of  this  officer,  saying:  "There  is  one  other 
officer  of  my  squadron  of  whom  I  feel  bound  to 
.speak,  Captain  T.  A.  Jenkins,  of  the  "Richmond," 
who  was  formerly  Chief  of  Staff.  He  never 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  271 

forgets  to  do  his  duty  to  the  Government.  *  *  * 
He  carried  out  the  spirit  of  Lord  Collingwood's  best 
saying,  'Xot  to  be  afraid  of  doing  too  much;  those 
who  are,  seldom  do  as  much  as  they  ought.'  *  *  * 
I  feel  that  I  should  not  be  doing  my  duty  if  I  did  not 
call  the  attention  of  the  Department  to  an  officer  who 
has  performed  all  his  various  duties  with  so  much  zeal 
and  fidelity."  Captain  John  C.  Howell  entered  the 
service  in  1836,  was  commissioned  Lieutenant,  equal 
to  an  Army  Captain,  in  1850.  In  the  West  Gulf 
Blockading  Squadron,  1861-2,  he  commanded  the 
steamer  "YVinona."  He  was  present  at,  and  received 
the  surrender  of  Fort  St.  Phillip,  April  28th,  1862. 
In  June  he  engaged  the  Rebel  ram,  "Arkansas."  In 
July  he  took  part  in  the  bombardment  and  passage 
of  Yicksburg  batteries.  He  received  commission  of 
Commander  of  the  famed  West  India  Squadron  in 

1863,  and   of  the   great    North    Atlantic    Klo-ckading 
Squadron   in    1864-5.      He   engaged   with   the   Rebel 
battery  at  Four  Mile  Creek,  James  river,  June  i6th, 

1864.  Our  space  forbids  us  to  refer  to  other  names 
of  factors   in  our   Navy,   such   as   Captains    William 
Reynolds,  Thomas   H.   Stevens,   Aaron   K.   Hughes, 
Charles  Thomas,  and  Commanders  William  E.  Hop- 
kins, Thomas  C.   Harris,  John   Lee  Davis,     George 
Hugh  Morris,  Edward  P.  Williams,  Elias  K.  Owen, 
Robert  F.  R.  Lewis,  and  George  A.  Stevens.     The 
following  were   paymasters  in   the      Navy,   John   G. 


272  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Harris,  G.  L.  Davis,  William  W.  Williams,  Arthur  J. 
Pritchard. 

In  the  following  most  important  Naval  battles  of 
the  Rebellion,  men  of  Welsh  names  were  factors  of 
great  value.  At  the  capture  of  Hatteras  Inlet,  August 
28th,  1861,  John  C.  Howell  was  Lieutenant  on  the 
flag-ship  "Minnesota/  S.  C.  Jones  was  Sergeant,  and 
George  Jones  Chaplain.  At  the  capture  of  Roanoke 
Island,  February  8th,  1862,  W.  W.  Williams  was  on 
the  steamer  "Louisiana;"  C.  H.  Daniels  on  the  steamer 
"Hetzel,"  as  Acting  Master;  on  the  steamer  "Under- 
writer" William  D.  Griffith  was  Acting  Master's  Mate, 
William  I>.  Miles  holding  a  similar  place  on  the 
steamer  "Henry  Brinker."  On  the  "Delaware,"  J. 
Davis  was  assistant  engineer,  and  on  the  "Commo- 
dore Perry"  F.  Thomas  was  Acting  Master,  George 
W.  Richards  Assistant  Enginner.  When  Fort  Fisher 
was  captured,  January  I5th,  1865,  H.  A.  Adams,  Jr., 
was  Lieutenant  Commander  of  the  flag-ship  "Mal- 
vern,"  J.  Price  Acting  Master,  Owen  Jones  Assistant 
Engineer.  Other  Welsh  names  appear  in  the  same 
position  on  the  other  ships,  the  "Colorado"  and 
"Minnesota."  On  the  "Powhatan,"  R.  D.  Evans  and 
Francis  Morris  were  acting  ensigns ;  on  the  "Wabash" 
Charles  A.  Davis  was  Chaplain,  Thomas  T.  Davis 
Acting  Ensign,  William  J.  Lewis  Acting  Master's 
Mate.  A.  Williams  was  Assistant  Engineer  on  the 
"Vanderbilt."  T.  J.  Jones  'Chief  Engineer  on  the 


In  tJie  Development  of  the  Republic.  273 

"Ticonderoga,"  John  Matthews  Assistant  Engineer 
on  the  '"Brooklyn;"  also,  John  A.  Hughes  on  the 
"Rhode  Island,"  and  D.  Jones  on  the  "Mendola,"  O. 
C.  Lewis  on  the  "Saugus,"  Joseph  H.  Matthews  on 
the  "Quaker  City,"  B.  Lewis,  and  J.  H.  Thomas  on 
the  "Pontoosuc,"  J.  C.  Lewis  on  the  "Alabama,"  J. 
\Yilliams  on  the  "Montgomery."  V.  W.  Morris,  Jr., 
on  the  "Howquah,"  and  C.  E.  Lee  on  the  "Tacony." 

Again,  on  the  "Sassacus,"  John  L.  Davis  was  Lieu- 
tenant Commander,  and  on  the  "Mahopac,"  C.  H. 
Harris  was  Acting  Master;  J.  M.  Williams  was  Acting 
Volunteer  Lieutenant  on  the  "Emma."  The  following 
were  Acting  Ensign,  \Y.  D.  Price  on  the  "Juniata," 
S.  K.  Hopkins  on  "Fort  Jackson,"  J.  W.  Hopkins 
on  the  "Nyack,"  J.  E.  Jones  and  W.  E.  Jones  on  the 
"Mahopac,"  J.  S.  Edwards  on  the  "Monticello," 
Thomas  \Yilliams  on  the  "Alabama,"  John  Owens 
on  the  "Tristan  Shandy." 

There  were  other  men  of  this  nationality  engaged 
in  the  service  of  the  North  Atlantic  Squadron,  which 
reduced  the  famous  Fort  Fisher. 

Turning  now  to  the  South  Atlantic  Squadron,  when 
the  battle  of  Fort  Royal  was  fought,  November  7th, 
1861.  we  find  as  Fleet  Captain  on  the  flag-ship  "Wa- 
bash,"  Charles  H.  Davis;  as  one  of  her  Acting  Mas- 
ters, J.  H.  Rowlands;  as  Surgeon,  George  Clymer; 
as  Assistant  Engineer,  T.  A.  Stevens.  On  the  steam 
sloop  "Susquehanna"  F.  G.  Adams  was  Master's 


274  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Mate,  and  George  Thomas  held  a  similar  office  on 
the  "Vandalia."  On  the  steam  gunboat  "Penguin" 
Thomas  A.  Harris  was  Acting  Master,  and  on  the 
gunboat  "Unadilla"  George  E.  Thomas  was  Acting 
Master's  Mate.  Other  Welsh  names  appear  amid  the 
various  officers  of  this  fleet.  The  West  Gulf  Squad- 
ron did  grand  service  in  the  bombardment  of  Forts 
Jackson  and  St.  Phillip,  and  the  capture  of  the  city 
of  New  Orleans,  April,  1862.  On  the  steam  frigate 
"Colorado,"  J.  L.  Davis  was  Lieutenant,  and  Lloyd 
A.  Williams  Engineer;  on  the  "Pensacola"  Henry  W. 
Morris  was  Captain,  George  L.  Davis  Paymaster, 
John  C.  Harris  Second  Lieutenant  Marines.  On  the 
"Portsmouth"  Thomas  P.  Jones  was  Master's  Mate, 
and  on  the  "Brooklyn"  Joseph  Morgan,  Jr.,  was  As- 
sistant Engineer r  on  the  steam  sloop  "Oneida"  S. 
Phillips  Lee  was  Commander,  and  Thomas  Edwards 
Acting  Master;  on  the  "Mississippi"  F.  E.  Ellis  was 
Acting  Master,  H.  W.  Phillips  Assistant  Engineer, 
and  Joseph  Lewis  Boatswain;  on  the  "Scolia"  H.  A. 
Adams  was  Lieutenant,  and  A.  H.  Price  Assistant  En- 
gineer. The  following  were  Acting  Masters  on  other 
ships  of  war,  George  Harris  on  the  "Katahdin,  Edwin 
Jones  on  the  "Ithaca,"  R.  Price  \Valter  on  the  "Wis- 
sahickon,"  Charles  D.  Arthur  on  the  "J.  P.  Jackson," 
Henry  E.  Williams  on  the  mortar  schooner  "Sea- 
foam,"  Sylvester  Rowland  on  the  "Sarah  Bruen," 
J,  M.  Richards  and  John  Williams  on  the  George 


/;/  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  275 

Maugham;"  Enos  O.  Adams  was  Acting  Master's 
Mate  on  the  "Orvetta." 

In  the  battle  of  Mobile  Bay,  August  5th,  1864,  T. 
A.  Jenkins  was  Captain  and  Lewis  J.  Williams  Sur- 
geon on  the  steam  sloop  "Richmond;"  William  J. 
Lewis  Acting  Master's  Mate  on  the  "Lackawanna," 
and  A.  L.  Stevens  on  the  "Brooklyn;"  Thomas  H. 
Stevens  was  Commander  of  the  iron-clad  "Winne- 
bago,"  and  Thomas  C.  Bo  wen  Lieutenant  Commander 
of  the  steamer  "Port  Royal,"  of  which  S.  F.  Hopkins 
was  acting  ensign;  Geo.  W.  Adams  was  acting  mas- 
ter's mate  on  the  "Octorara,"  A.  H.  Morgan  on  the 
"Genesee,"  William  Jones  on  the  "Glasgow,"  and 
Henry  T.  Davis  on  the  "Pambina;"  Charles  G.  Arthur 
was  Acting-volunteer  Lieutenant  on  the  "Cowslip, ' 
and  William  G.  Jones  Acting  Ensign  on  the  "Nar- 
cissus." 

In  the  capture  of  Fort  Henry,  by  the  Mississippi 
Squadron,  William  Cwyn  was  Lieutenant  Commander 
of  the  Gunboat  "Tyler,"  and  O.  S.  Davis  an  Assistant 
Engineer.  In  the  capture  of  Memphis,  the  flag-ship 
"Benton,"  of  which  Chas.  H.  Davis  was  flag-officer, 
took  a  prominent  part,  aided  by  the  iron-clad  "Caron- 
dolet,"  with  E.  Morgan  an  Acting  Master;  and  other 
vessels.  The  Lieutenant  Commander  of  the  "Louis- 
ville," at  the  passage  of  Vicksburg  batteries,  April 
6th,  1863,  was  E.  K.  Owen;  Charles  W.  Reynolds  was 
Acting  Second  Assistant  Engineer.  In  the  engage- 


276  Welshmen  as  Factors 

ment  with  batteries  at  Grand  Gulf,  Mississippi,  April 
29th,  1863,  Edward  Morgan  was  Acting-Volunteer 
Lieutenant  on  the  iron-clad  "Lafayette,"  and  Geo. 
Price  acting  gunner.  On  the  "Mound  City,"  Chas.  R. 
Jones  was  Acting-Master's  mate.  In  March  and 
April,  1864,  we  find  the  Red  River  Expedition;  and 
on  the  flag-ship  "Black  Hawk,"  as  Lieutenant  Com- 
mander, K.  R.  Breese  (Ab  Rhys) ;  as  Acting-Master's 
mate  R.  S.  Howell.  On  the  iron-clad  steamer  "East- 
port"  R.  M.  Williams,  Acting  Ensign.  On  the  "La- 
fayette," Edward  Morgan,  Acting  Volunteer  Lieuten- 
ant; Paul  Morgan  Acting  Master's  Mate;  George 
Price  Acting  Gunner.  On  the  "Louisville"  Elias  K. 
Owen  Lieutenant  Commander;  C.  W.  Reynolds  As- 
sistant Engineer.  On  the  "Lexington,"  Chief  Acting 
Engineer,  W.  H.  Meredith;  on  the  "Pittsburg," 
Charles  V.  Jones,  Acting  Master's  Mate;  on  the 
"Neosho"  J.  L.  Miles,  Assistant  Engineer,  and  in  th; 
same  office,  Eli  Powell  on  steamer  "Fort  Heidman." 
In  the  great  naval  conflict  in  Hampton  Roads,  1862, 
the  brave  Lieutenant  Morris  of  the  ship  "Cumber- 
land" showed  the  Welshman's  grit.  Franklin  Bu- 
channan,  Commander  of  the  notorious  "Merrimac," 
asked  Morris,  "Will  you  surrender  the  ship?"  Mor- 
ris replied,  "Never,  never  will  we  surrender  the  ship." 
The  "Merrimac"  ran  her  steel  beak  into  the  "Cumber- 
land," and  Buchannan  cried,  "Mr.  Morris,  will  you 
surrender  that  ship?"  He  replied.  "Never,  sink  her." 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  277 

Cooly  manning-  the  guns  of  his  ship,  he  loaded  and 
discharged  while  the  vessel  was  in  a  sinking  condi- 
tion, and  she  went  down  with  her  flag  still  flying  from 
her  mast-head.  "A  memento  of  the  bravest,  most 
daring,  and  yet  most  hopeless  defence  ever  made  by 
any  vessel  belonging  to  any  navy  in  the  \vorld."  (R. 
M.  Devens). 

In  i8di  was  issued  the  call  of  our  martyred  Presi- 
dent for  at  least  400,000  men,  and  $400,000,000.00. 
The  South  had  "forced  upon  the  country  the  distinct 
issue  immediate  dissolution  or  blood."  Lincoln  said  ' 
after  the  firing  on  Fort  Sumter,  "I  shall  to  the  best  of 
my  ability  repel  force  by  force."  Congress  voted  an 
appropriation  of  $207,000,000.00  for  the  army,  and 
$57,000,000.00  for  the  navy.  Xo  time  was  lost;  but 
the  South  was  ready,  and  awaiting  the  conflict,  and 
hence  the  history  of  the  Bull  Run  encounter.  Yes, 
that  gory  and  costly  conflict  came;  and  not  until  four 
years  after  was  the  calamity  over-past. 

In  Lincoln's  message,  December,  1863,  we  read, 
'The  crisis  which  threatened  to  divide  the  friends  of 
the  Union  is  past."  From  that  time  forward  the 
prosecution  and  completion  of  the  work  received  the 
concurrence  of  loyal  subjects  of  the  Union  every- 
where, and  peace  was  restored. 

The  sword  was  sheathed — in  April's  sun 
Lay  green  the  fields  by  freedom  won. 
And  several  sections,  weary  of  debate 
Joined  hands,  at  last,  and  were  United  States. 

— J.  G  Whittier. 


278  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Alas!  that  after  the  terrific  storm  of  war  was  over, 
and  though  the  booming  of  cannon,  and  the  Avhiz  of 
the  musket's  death-message  were  no  more  heard — a 
bitter  enmity  still  rankled  within  Southern  hearts. 
The  "spirit"  of  secession  survived  the  death  of  its 
"body,"  called  Confederate  States.  It  became  neces- 
sary that  our  Government  use  the  greatest  care,  lest, 
after  all  the  trouble  taken  to  subdue  the  rebellious 
States,  the  very  dearly  purchased  rights  of  the  Union 
and  the  legitimate  fruits  of  this  conflict  should  be 
lost.  The  victory  won,  it  is  ever  the  custom  of  nations 
to  exact  due  submission  and  a  proper  acknowledg- 
ment of  the  victor's  claims.  So  felt  and  so  spoke 
right-thinking  politicians.  Among  these  were  certain 
Welshmen,  who  were  neither  shy  nor  ashamed  to 
utter  their  sentiments.  The  crisis  was  important,  and 
it  required  heroic  treatment,  both  for  the  sake  of  the 
late  rebels  and  of  the  Government  against  which  they 
had  rebelled.  As  a  rule,  men  of  Welsh  blood  are 
quite  outspoken.  They  rarely  ever  come  under  the 
poet's  designation  of  a  tricky  class  who, 

"Damn  with  faint  praise,  assent  with  civil  leer, 
And  without  sneering,  teach  the  rest  to  sneer." 

With  pleasure  and  pride  do  we  note  that  timely 
counsel  was  given  on  the  floor  of  Congress,  touching 
the  policy  which  it  should  pursue.  When,  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  during  the  4oth  Congress, 
a  bill  was  pending,  February,  1867,  ''To  provide  for 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  279 

the  more  efficient  government  of  the  rebellious  States" 
the  Hon.  Thomas  T.  Davis  of  Xe\v  York  \vas  reported 
as  saying'.  "The  I'nion  party  in  its  work  or  reconstruc- 
tion is  bound  to  regard  the  organic  law  of  the  Repub- 
lic, and  so  far  as  possible  to  conform  to  those  Repub- 
lican principles  which  alone,  impressed  upon  the  laws 
and  institutions  of  the  country,  give  value  to  its 
Government."  Again  he  said,  "Sir,  I  have  no  avail- 
able apology  to  offer  for  that  blind  fatuity  of  the  peo- 
ple of  the  South,  which,  in  attempting  the  destruction 
of  the  Union,  to  maintain  slavery,  destroyed  absolute- 
ly, and  forever,  the  very  institution  it  is  sought  to 
preserve.  :|:  The  Southern  States  waged  war 

for  more  than  four  years  against  a  Government  that 
had  never  harmed  them,  to  perpetuate  a  system 
which  was  a  curse  to  them,  and  to  the  country."  In 
this  manly  and  memorable  speech,  Mr.  Davis  lays 
down  the  following  propositions  as  being  verified  by 
unquestionable  "evidence  existing  in  the  files  of  the 
1  louse;"  First,  That  a  stateof  insubordination  and  law- 
lessness prevails  very  generally  in  the  States  lately 
in  rebellion,  which  is  attributable  in  great  degree  to  a 
determination  not  to  regard  in  any  wise  the  enact- 
ments of  Congress  for  the  preservation  of  order. 
Second,  That  the  liberties  and  rights  of  the  freed-men 
have  been  ignored  and  trampled  upon,  and  that  they 
have  often  been  foully  abused,  outraged  and  murdered 
without  the  arrest,  trial  or  conviction  of  the  guilty 


280  Welshmen  as  Factors 

parties,  and  even  without  inquiring  into  the  circum- 
stances by  any  civil  magistrate  or  court.  Third,  That 
men  of  known  loyalty  have  been  proscribed,  their 
property  seized,  their  houses  burned,  their  estates 
destroyed,  and  their  lives  destroyed  by  combinations 
of  the  sympathizers  with  rebellion,  and  that  the  local 
Courts  have  neither  instigated  nor  entertained  com- 
plaints of  such  enormities,  nor  have  any  remedies 
been  addressed  to  their  correction  or  punishment. 
Fourth,  That  men  prominent  in  rebellion  can  alone  be 
elected  to  political  offices  throughout  these  States, 
where  treason  is  regarded,  and  where  loyalty  is  a 
crime.  Fifth,  That  with  singular  unanimity,  these 
States  have  rejected  the  amendment  to  the  Constitu- 
tion, which  became  necessary  by  their  rebellion,  be- 
cause of  people  whose  history  for  full  four  years  was 
one  consistent  record  of  piracy  and  violence  and  mur- 
der, who  tortured  the  prisoners  taken  from  our  army 
by  the  fortunes  of  war,  in  the  charnel-houses  of  Rich- 
mond, Belle  Isle,  and  Anderson ville,  by  slow  starva- 
tion, who  murdered  them  in  cold  blood,  and  who 
suffered  them  to  be  reduced  to  skeletons,  by  privations 
and  exposure,  that  they  might  never  again  enter  the 
Federal  ranks  as  efficient  soldiers,  could  not  submit 
to  the  adoption  of  the  amendment,  consistently  with 
their  honor.  Sixth,  That  the  belief  in  the  heresy  of 
State-sovereignty,  for  the  maintenance  of  which  the 
South  appealed  to  the  arbitrament  of  arms,  and 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  281 

which  appeal  was  decided  adversely  to  the  appellants, 
is  still  the  prevalent  creed  of  the  Southern  people,  who 
would,  if  practicable  again  assert  it  at  any  period  when 
the  re-establishment  of  African  slavery  could  be 
effected."  Having  stated  these  comprehensive  pro- 
positions, reminding  one  of  Thomas  Jefferson's 
charges,  all  too  true,  against  the  King,  George  III., 
this  man  Davies  added,  "I  concede  therefore,  Mr. 
Speaker,  that  the  present  is  no  time  to  be  over- 
scrupulous in  the  exercise  of  that  power  over  the 
Southern  States,  to  which  I  believe  a  nation  may  re- 
sort for  the  preservation  of  its  own  life,  and  the  dis- 
charge of  its  high  duties  to  its  own  citizens,  but  I  am 
unwilling  to  forget  justice  and  reason,  while  inflicting 
punishment.  *  *  Whilst  I  am  not  willing,  Sir, 

to  impose  unnecessary  restrictions  on  the  late  Con- 
federates, on  the  subject  of  representation,  I  must 
express  my  hearty  contempt  for  the  consummate  folly 
exhibited  by  the  Southern  States  in  refusing  terms  of 
reconciliation  more  generous  than  any  which  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  were  ever  before  offered  by  a 
sovereign  suppressing  a  revolt  to  subjects  abetting  a 
revolt.  As  they  withdrew  from  us*  of  their  own  voli- 
tion, they  must  return  to  us  only  when  they  can  re- 
turn with  our  volition.  In  this  matter,  Congress,  and 
Congress  alone  is  absolute;  and  however  much  Con- 
gress might  yield  as  a  matter  of  generosity,  it  can  be 
asked  to  yield  nothing  as  a  matter  of  right.  * 


282  Welshmen  as  Factors 

It  has  ever  seemed  to  me,  Mr.  Speaker,  that  we 
should  place  such,  and  such  restraints  only,  upon 
these  States,  as  would  secure  their  due  submission  to 
the  laws  which  may  be  properly  enacted  by  Con- 
gress, having1  in  view  the  speedv  return  of  their  peo- 
ple to  the  paths  of  industry  and  prosperity,  and  that 
so  far  as  is  consistent  with  the  safety  of  the  loyal  citi- 
zens and  freed  men,  the  administration  of  justice 
should  be  left  to  the  civil  tribunals  of  the  country;  if, 
as  it  seems,  these  Courts  will  not  redress  the  wrongs 
of  loyal  men,  if  they  will  not  protect  the  rights  of  the 
emancipated  slaves,  we  must  interfere  by  the  strong 
arm,  until  justice  shall  be  meted  out  to  all. 
Time  and  prosperity  will  bring  their  healing  influence 
to  wounds  yet  bleeding  and  painful.  The  sentiments 
of  asperity  which  have  grown  upon  Northern  soil  will 
be  mollified  by  years,  and  the  bitterness  of  Southern 
feeling  arising  from  the  war,  and  the  ruin  it  has 
wrought,  will  be  forgotten  when  thrift  shall  crown 
industry  with  merited  reward.  I  have  op- 

posed the  policy  of  the  extreme  radicals  in  Congress, 
because  I  do  not  believe  it  to  be  founded  either  upon 
real  unaffected  patriotism,  upon  substantial  justice,  or 
upon  sound  statesmanship.  *  *  Statesmanship 

is  passionless.  Calm,  amid  the  tumults  of  war,  or  the 
strife  of  parties,  it  looks  steadily  at  the  permanent  in- 
terests of  the  country  committed  to  its  care,  and  so 
far  as  possible,  liolds  in  check  every  movement  cal- 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  283 

culated  to  endanger  and  impair  these  interests;  and 
here,  Sir,  statesmanship  has  its  eye  on  the  unity  of  the 
Republic,  upon  the  control,  on  the  one  hand,  of  the 
Southern  people,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  of  the  vin- 
dictive sentiments  of  Northern  partisans;  that,  by 
prudence,  judgment  and  reason,  our  country  may  safe- 
ly pass  the  ordeal  which  now  tests  the  strength  and 
endurance  of  the  Government,  and  come  forth  with 
true  loyalty  everywhere  in  ascendency  over  the  spirit 
of  disunion,  with  no  principle  of  Republicanism  sacri- 
ficed to  temporary  expediency,  and  with  the  Constitu- 
tion, modified  only  in  the  interests  of  liberty,  marred 
by  no  violence,  and  prostituted  by  no  oppression. 

In  its  present  form,  I  cannot  sustain  this  meas- 
ure, but  if  the  amendment  suggested  by  my  friend 
from  Maine,  Mr.  Elaine,  shall  be  incorporated  in  it, 
by  which  provision  is  made  for  the  establishment  of 
civil  government  in  these  States,  I  shall  feel  con- 
strained to  support  it,  not  because  I  shall  approve  it 
in  all  its  features,  but  because  I  believe  that  the  South 
are  responsible  in  a  great  measure  for  the  existing 
condition  of  public  affairs,  and  that  they  should  endure 
inconveniences  and  restraint,  and  annoyance,  rather 
than  that  power  should  be  at  once  surrendered  to  the 
wicked  men,  who  struck  at  the  life  of  the  Republic, 
and  still  justify  the  attempted  parricide." 

It  has  seemed  to  us  proper  to  quote  the  above  ex- 
tracts from  Mr.  Davis'  admirable  speech  for  two  or 


284  Welshmen  as  Factors 

three  reasons;  first,  because  as  a  specimen  of  states- 
manship and  ability,  it  is  worthy  to  be  ranked  with 
the  great  speeches  of  John  Adams;  second,  oecause  it 
proves  Mr.  Davis  to  have  been  like  Roger  Williams 
a  "prophetic  Legislator;"  and  third,  because  it  shows 
how  important  a  factor  this  Welshman  was  in  this 
critical  juncture.  Sixty-seven  was  indebted  to  this 
nationality,  even  as  was  "Seventy-six."  The  above  is 
but  a  fractional  part  of  this  grand  and  gifted  speech, 
so  kindly  and  so  wise.  It  surely  cannot  be  out  of 
place  in  this  essay.  The  careful  perusal  of  the  entire 
speech  would  be  educational  to  certain  less  "honor- 
able" members  in  our  52nd  and  53rd  Congresses. 

We  have  referred  to  the  encouragement  given  to 
the  Rebel  States  by  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain. 
The  reader  will  find  exhaustive  proof  of  this  in  Blaine's 
"Twenty  Years  in  Congress,"  Vol.  11.  Lord  Camp- 
bell had  said  in  1863,  that  "a  loan  of  fifteen  million 
dollars  had  been  offered  the  South  from  London." 
"Southern  recognition,"  he  claimed,  "will  take  from 
the  Northern  mind  the  hope  which  lingers  of  South- 
ern subjugation."  Mr.  Roebuck,  June,  1863,  asserted, 
"The  South  will  never  come  into  the  Union."  And  it 
was  only  by  the  intervention  of  Gladstone  that  Roe- 
buck's motion  for  "instant  recognition"  was  warded 
off.  Hon.  Chas.  Francis  Adams,  United  States  Min- 
ister plenipotentiary  to  England  (an  only  son  of  J.  Q. 
Adams,  and  grand-son  of  John  Adams)  well  served 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  285 

our  interests.  "No  American  minister,"  said  the 
organs  of  English  opinion,  "ever  more  thoroughly 
won  the  respect  and  esteem  of  the  English."  It  was 
very  fortunate  that  England  had  here  such  a  man  as 
Lord  Lyons,  and  that  we  had  there  such  a  man  as  C. 
F.  Adams.  When  the  "-Alabama"  and  "Shenandoah" 
and  other  vessels  were  let  loose  to  our  injury,  Adams 
did  not  falter  in  watchfulness  and  remonstrances. 
Then  "the  Alabama  claims"  and  Fenian  troubles  fol- 
lowed; and  taxed  his  diplomatic  skill.  At  the  Na- 
tional Convention  of  liberal  Republicans  in  Cincinnati, 
May,  1872,  Stanley  Matthews  being  temporary  chair- 
man, the  names  of  Judge  David  Davis,  and  Charles 
Francis  Adams  were  put  forward  for  the  Presidency. 
Of  Davis  it  is  written,  that  he  "was  rich,  holiest  and 
popular;"  that  "he  had  watched  politics  from  the  Su- 
preme Bench,  with  judicial  equipose  and  partisan  in- 
stincts;" and  so,  as  Mr.  Elaine  observes,  "He  was  by 
many  discerning  men  regarded  as  a  highly  eligible 
candidate."  The  claims  of  Mr.  Adams  were  based  on 
"the  traditions  of  his  name,  and  his  distinguished 
services;"  and,  that  he  was  one  who  could  inspire 
public  confidence.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the 
renowned  editor  of  the  New  York  "Tribune"  gained 
the  nomination  and  got  on  the  ticket;  but  never 
reached  the  White  House. 

General  Horace  Porter,  enlarging  on  Burke's  state- 
ment, that  no  war  can  leave  a  nation  where  it  found 


286  Welshmen  as  Factors 

it,  thus  eloquently  sets  forth  the  issues  of  this  Civil 
War — "It  found  slaver}-,  it  left  freedom;  it  found 
treason,  it  left  loyalty;  it  found  a  leprosy,  it  left  a  re- 
deemed and  regenerated  nation;  it  found  the  name 
'American  citizen'  a  bye-word  and  a  reproach — a 
confusion,  it  left  the  name  'American  citizen'  the 
proudest  pass-port  which  man  can  bear  throughout 
the  nations  of  the  globe."  During  the  "Twenty  years 
of  Congress,"  so  ably  written  out  in  the  two  bulky 
octavos  published  by  the  late  Hon.  J.  G.  Elaine,  Sec- 
retary of  State,  it  is  clear  that  the  slavery  question 
was  the  all-absorbing  subject  of  this  period.  How  to 
deal  with  that  giant  evil,  and  save  this  Union ;  how  to 
provide  against  the  attack,  ami  compel  the  surrender 
of  slavocracy;  how  to  rescue  tne  colored  race,  and 
maintain  a  Government  of  the  people,  "for  the  peo- 
ple;" how  to  reconstruct  the  Union,  after  slavery  was 
laid  low;  how  to  meet  the  enormous  war-debt,  in- 
curred in  preserving  our  Republic  from  destruction; 
how  to  insure  to  the  freed  slaves  the  privileges  of 
freedom  and  citizenship,  these,  and  kindred  matters, 
were  constantly  uppermost  in  the  Senate  and  in  the 
House  of  Representatives.  Ridpath  sets  down  as 
chief  of  the  causes  of  this  war,  "the  evil  influence  of 
demagogues,  *  *  the  leadership  of  bad  men." 

(Ridpath 's  Hist.  Ch.  62).  They  may  not  have 
imagined  whcreunto  this  would  grow.  The  Govern- 
ment Printing  Offices,  Washington,  has  issued  no  less 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  287 

than  ninety-six  volumes  of  this  "Rebellious  Record," 
each  volume  containing  about  eight  hundred  pages. 
At  length  there  was  realized  a  blessed  victory,  and 
every  Welshman  could  breath  the  wishes  of  Evan  E. 
Roberts,  Utica,  X.  Y.,  on  this  wise, 

"Tra  haul  yn  pelydru  yn  entrych  y  nen, 
Y  Ser  a'r  Brithresi  ymdoddant  uwch  ben, 
A  Rhyddid  gorona  America  wen." 

It  was  Hon.  Thaddeus  Stevens  who  said  in  the  39th 
Congress,  1866-7,  "If  this  Republic  is  not  made  to 
stand  on  solid  principle,  it  has  no  honest  foundation, 
and  the  Father  of  all  men  will  still  shake  it  to  its  centre. 
If  we  have  not  been  sufficiently  scourged  for  our  na- 
tional sin,  to  teach  us  to  do  justice  to  all  God's 
creatures,  without  distinction  of  race  or  color,  we 
must  expect  a  still  more  heavy  vengeance  of  an 
offended  Father.  *  *  *  This  doctrine  of  a  white 
man's  government  is  as  atrocious  as  the  infamous 
sentiment  that  damned  the  late  Chief  Justice  to  ever- 
lasting fame,  and  I  fear  to  everlasting  fire."  When 
Mr.  Seward  held  that,  "As  a  matter  of  justice,  legis- 
lation affecting  the  Southern  States  should  be  open  to 
the  participation  of  representatives  from  the  South," 
Stevens  replied,  "In  no  body  of  English  laws  I  ever 
found  a  provision,  which  authorizes  the  criminal  to 
sit  in  judgment,  when  the  extent  of  his  crime  and  its 
punishment  were  under  consideration."  This  ''mem- 
ber from  Pennsylvania"  was  radical,  but  his  principles 


288  Welshmen  as  Factors 

were  sound,  and  in  harmony  with  the  amendments 
finally  adopted  by  Congress,  and  ratified  by  the  sev- 
eral States  of  this  Union.  This  great  man  cham- 
pioned not  alone  the  cause  of  freedom,  but  also  that 
of  free  education,  a  service  for  which  the  Keystone 
State  is  very  specially  indebted  to  him. 

Ere  we  dismiss  this  reference  to  Welshmen  in  our 
war,  other  two  names  there  are  of  marked  significance. 
The  one  is  that  of  "the  conscience  Whig,"  who,  in 
1848,  refused  to  support  Taylor,  Charles  Francis 
Adams.  This  son  of  John  Ouincy  had  "deep  con- 
victions on  the  subject  of  slavery."  The  services  this 
man  rendered  while  representing  our  Government  in 
the  war  crisis,  making  himself  so  obnoxious  to  lead- 
ers in  the  British  Government,  deserved  the  most 
lavish  encomiums. 

The  other  name  is  that  of  the  Rev.  Henry  Ward 
Beecher.  As  preacher  and  lecturer  his  influence  and 
aid  were  most  valuable  in  this  epoch.  "The  Pulpit 
Jupiter,"  as  he  was  called,  fulminated  thunderbolts 
against  slavocracy.  He  went  across  to  England,  and 
stood  for  his  country  in  the  day  in  which  she  was  most 
misrepresented  and  vilified.  G.  T.  Matthews,  Esq.,  did 
well  to  secure  for  Plymouth  Church  a  memorial  win- 
dow, "In  affectionate  remembrance  of  Henry  Ward 
Beecher,  the  Apostle  of  Liberty,  from  the  Welsh 
churches  and  schools  of  America  and  Wales. 

Mr.  Lincoln  said  Henrv  Ward  Beecher  was  the 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  289 

greatest  motive  power  he  had  in  the  North.  And 
why?  Because  he  would  go  into  a  meeting  packed 
with  Southerners,  or  with  advocates  of  slavery  and 
disunion,  and  leave  that  meeting  boiling  liberationists, 
and  going  solid  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union! 

Bungay  referred  to  his  eloquence  thus  "It  did  more 
to  turn  the  tide  of  opinion  in  England  in  favor  of  jus- 
tice and  liberty  than  the  diplomacy  of  Seward,  the 
valor  of  the  bravest  general  in  the  field,  or  the^  decision 
of  judges." 

Wendell  Phillips,  a  descendant  of  a  "Mayflower" 
passenger,  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1831.  He  ran 
for  Governor  of  the  Bay  State  in  1870,  and  the  peo- 
ple gave  him  20,000  votes,  unpopular  as  was  the  plat- 
form whereon  he  stood.  James  R.  Lowell  well  sang 
concerning  this  noble  soul: 

He  saw  God  stand  upon  the  weaker  side, 
That  sank,  in  seeming  loss  before  its  foes 

*  *  *        he  went 

Fanatic  named  and  Fool,  yet  well  content, 
So  he  could  be  the  nearer  to  God's  heart, 
And  feel  its  solemn  pulses." 

If  ni}'  somewhat  lengthy  record  of  the  war  seem 
tedious,  I  pray  my  reader  to  bear  in  mind  the  magni- 
tude and  importance  of  that  crisis  in  the  history  of  our 
Republic. 


290  Welshmen  as  P  actors 

WELSHMEN  IN  OUR  INDUSTRIAL  GROWTH. 

So  prodigious  became  the  increase  in  the  value  of 
American  manufactures  that  by  1860,  this  had  reached 
$1,900,000,000.  Thirty-two  years  ago,  the  two  items 
of  coal  and  iron  netted  $133,757,557-  During  the 
twenty  years,  i8(5i-i88i,  the  production  and  use  of 
iron  exceeded,  by  many  fold,  that  of  the  entire  cen- 
tury from  1761  to  1861.  Welsh  muscle  and  Welsh 
brain  are  largely  represented  in  that  increase. 

Daniel  Davis  of  the  "Davis  and  Thomas  Foundry," 
East  Catasauqua,  "learned  the  iron  trade  in  Wales;" 
for  fifteen  years  he  held  a  responsible  position  with  the 
Crane  Iron  Company.  Davis  was  a  distant  relative  of 
Thomas.  George  Davis,  the  son,  and  his  brother-in- 
law,  James  Thomas,  son  of  Hopkin  Thomas,  on  the 
death  of  Air.  Davis,  1876,  became  owners  of  the 
foundry. 

Thomas  G.  Evans  was  master  mechanic  in  the  Cata- 
sauqua Water  Works.  He  planned  and  constructed 
the  pumping  machinery. 

The  Thomas  Iron  W'orks,  on  the  Lehigh  river,  had 
been  built  at  Hockendauqua.  Here  were  used  the 
largest  engines  constructed  by  J.  P.  Morris  &  Co., 
Philadelphia.  In  all  departments  these  works  were 
said  to  have  been  "the  model  furnaces  of  American." 
The  annual  product  of  the  works  at  Hockendauqua 
was  estimated  at  175,000  tons.  An  English  syndicate 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  291 

had  offered  $3,500,000  for  these  works.  The  company 
asked  a  million  dollars  more. 

Philip  Richards,  now  of  Catasauqua,  has  been  in  this 
country  over  twenty-five  years,  a  native  of  Newport, 
Monmouthshire.  He  is  famed  for  mechanical  genius, 
and  his  inventions  number  a  score  or  more,  all  in  the 
line  of  useful  arts.  Here  also  the  late  D.  Lewis,  of  the 
firm  of  Emanuel  and  Lewis,  was  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture and  sale  of  mining  powder.  Mr.  Lewis  was 
held  in  high  esteem  and  for  very  many  years  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  an  officer 
thereof.  Many  of  his  Welsh  friends  from  various  parts 
of  the  State  came  to  his  funeral. 

( )f  factors  in  peaceful  arts  and  industry  during  this 
time  we  find  an  ever-increasing  number  of  this  na- 
tionality. 

In  1844,  a  man  of  Gwynedd,  came  to  this  country, 
who  was  by  trade  a  blacksmith.  His  first  stopping 
place  was  New  York;  but  in  1853  he  removed  to  De- 
troit, Michigan.  Rising  higher  and  higher  he  became 
the  vice-president  of  the  Detroit  Dry  Dock  Company, 
which  now  handles  a  business  exceeding  half  a  mil- 
lion a  year.  This  company  has  built  about -150  en- 
gines. 

In  1850,  patents  were  given  to  Isaac  Adams,  Bos- 
ton, for  "An  improvement  in  printing  presses  and 
paper  machines,"  and  to  Samuel  L.  Thomas,  Lowell, 


292  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Mass.,  for  "An  improvement  in  tne  looms  for  weaving 
figured  fabrics." 

Hopkin  Thomas,  who  was  said  to  be  at  least 
twenty  years  in  advance  of  all  others,  wrought  at  this 
time.  It  is  known  that  to  his  genius  is  traceable  the 
chilled  cast  iron  cart  wheel  and  also  the  most  improved 
and  successful  mine  pumps  and  machinery  of  the  day. 
"In  all  mechanical  matters  lie  was  far  in  advance  of  his 
day."  In  1853  this  native  of  Glamorganshire,  S.  Wales, 
came  to  Catasauqua,  and  was  appointed  master  me- 
chanic of  the  Crane  Iron  Works.  He  died  here,  May, 
1878,  so  that  for  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  was  in  his 
line  a  prominent  and  valuable  factor.  In  1854  the 
Thomas  Iron  Company  was  formed.  Mr.  Thomas 
was  a  stockholder  also  in  the  Carbon  Iron  Company 
at  Parrysville,  and  again  in  Catasauqua  Iron  Works. 
"With  nearly  every  industry  in  the  town  he  was 
directly  or  remotely  connected."  He  built  the  Lehigh 
Fire  Brick  Works,  which  are  of  considerable  dimen- 
sions. He  was  nearly  eighty-eight  years  of  age  when 
he  died. 

Forty  years  ago  Miniersville,  Pa.,  was  the  center  of 
attraction  to  Welshmen  who  wrought  in  the  coal  in- 
dustry. The  operators,  Spencer  and  Kear,  with  others 
carried  on  extensive  collieries.  Welshmen  had  smaller 
mines.  The  town  was  then  what  Scranton  is  now, 
eminent  for  literary  and  religious  institutions — "the 


I 


ANTHONY  HOWELLS. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  293 

Athens  of  America."  The  Welsh  pastors,  Harris  and 
Williams,  \vere  factors  of  great  value  here. 

William  Johns  came  from  Pembrokeshire,  Wales, 
to  St.  Clair,  Pa.,  and  during  the  early  part  of  this 
period,  was  a  very  successful  coal  proprietor  in  that 
place.  He  became  a  Coal  King  of  Pennsylvania  in 
his  day. 

The  late  W.  Powell,  of  Upper  Lehigh,  Pa.,  came 
to  this  country  in  1841,  and  was  a  remarkably  suc- 
cessful coal  operator.  In  1865  he  acted  as  general 
manager  for  the  Leisenring  Company,  of  which  he 
became  a  member.  His  sons  and  son-in-law,  Mr. 
Sheppard,  co-operated  with  Mr.  Powell.  The  eldest 
son.  J.  M.  Powell.  Esq.,  now  living  at  Allentown,  and 
his  brothers  also,  carry  on  business  in  this  industry. 
Their  honored  father  was  devoted  to  church  work  at 
Upper  Lehigh;  and  there  the  late  Rev.  A.  J.  Morton 
was  pastor  for  many  years. 

Hon.  Anthony  Howells,  Massillon,  O.  Born  in 
Dowlais,  Wales,  1832,  emigrated  to  America  in  1850. 
He  became  a  successful  merchant  in  Youngstown, 
then  a  coal  operator.  The  Howells  Coal  Company 
has  employed  six  hundred  hands  or  more.  He  has 
been  prominent  in  political  affairs.  He  wras  chosen 
State  Treasurer  of  Ohio  in  1886;  he  was  postmaster 
of  Massillon  in  1889;  he  was  elected  Senator.  He  has 
been  twice  elected  president  of  tne  Ohio  Institute  of 
Mining  Engineers.  He  affiliates  religiously  with  the 
Baptists. 


294  Welshmen  as  Factors 

The  late  Edward  Jones,  of  Olyphant,  was  consid- 
ered one  of  the  most  successful  coal  operators  in 
Pennsylvania.  He  was  a  native  of  Cardiganshire, 
South  Wales.  He  had  risen  to  be  principal  pro- 
prietor and  general  superintendent  of  the  collieries 
of  Jones,  Simpson  and  Company,  located  at  Archi- 
bald. 

In  1851,  J.  S.  G wynne.  New  York  City,  patented 
an  "improved  rotary  pump,"  and  patents  were  given 
in  1853,  to  David  Matthew,  Philadelphia,  for  "an 
improved  spark  burner  and  water  heater  for  loco- 
motives;" in  1854,  to  John  Harris,  Lansingburg,  N. 
Y.,  for  "improvement  in  machinery  for  making  rope 
and  cordage,"  and  in  1855,  to  Thomas  F.  Rowland, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  for  improved  apparatus  for  drying 
grain,"  and  to  Samuel  P.  Thomas,  Lawrence,  Mass., 
for  "improvement  in  looms;"  again  in  1856,  to  Elisha 
Harris,  Providence,  R.  I.,  for  "improvement  in  ma- 
chines for  making  ropes,"  and  for  "improvements  in 
rolling  metal  and  forging  thimbles:"  in  [856,  to 
Charles  T.  James,  Providence,  R  .1.,  for  "improve- 
ment in  projectiles,"  and  to  Davis  E.  Hughes,  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  for  an  "improvement  in  telegraphs/'  Evan 
Morris,  Philadelphia,  got  a  patent  for  "improvement 
in  hats,  1857;  and  also,  Henry  R.  Rowlands,  l>oston, 
Mass.,  for  "an  apparatus  for  walking  on  water."  In 
1858,  J.  P.  Evans,  Hazelton,  Pa.,  patented  "an  im- 
proved coal  washing  machine;  and  in  1859,  P>enjamin 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  295 

T.  Harris,  Brooklyn,  X.  Y.,  ''  a  machine  by  which 
employees  can  register  their  time;"  and  William  L. 
Williams,  New  York,  "an  improved  machine  for  split- 
ting' wood;"  and  James  Davis,  Schuylkill  Haven,  Pa., 
for  "an  improvement  in  canal  locks,"  an  improvement 
confessed  by  the  "best  practical  engineer  to  be  superior 
to  anything  of  the  kind  then  in  use  here,  for  the  rea- 
son that  it  saved  water  and  facilitated  the  speed  of  the 
boat  into  and  out  of  the  lock.  (Edward  Young.) 
In  1860,  E.  E.  Reynolds,  New  York  city,  patented 
"a  recording  telegraph;"  and  in  1862,  Benjamin  Rob- 
erts, Clintondale,  N.  Y.,  "portable  bailing  press  for 
bailing  cotton  or  hay" — highly  recommended,  being 
smaller  tnan  any  other,  and  could  foe  "kept  under 
cover  in  a  space  but  little  larger  than  that  required 
by  a  fanning  mill,  without  taking  off  the  levers."  It 
was  cheap,  and  always  ready  for  use. 

Ohio  has  good  reason  to  be  proud  of  the  record 
and  worth  of  Air.  T.  R.  Morgan,  Sr.,  born  in  Peny- 
darren,  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales,  1834.  He 
was  a  poor  boy.  and  when  but  eight  years  of  age 
worked  in  the  mines,  first  as  door-boy  and  then  as 
driver-boy.  His  father  was  a  coal  mining  contractor. 
Mr.  Morgan  came  to  this  country  in  the  vigor  of 
manhood,  being  over  thirty  years  of  age,  and  with 
little  delay  became  foreman  in  machine  shops  of  the 
Allegheny  Valley  Railroad;  then  machinist  in  the 
Atlas  Works.  Later  on  he  was  employed  in  the 


296  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Smith  &  Porter  Machine  Shops,  as  master  mechanic. 
In  February,  1868,  he  commenced  for  himself  at 
Pittsburg,  manufacturing  steam  hammers  and  other 
special  lines  of  machinery.  In  1871,  he  removed  his 
works  to  Alliance,  where  he  has  continued  his  busi- 
ness on  a  far  more  extensive  scale.  *  These 
works  are  noted  as  being  among  the  best  in  the 
United  States,  being  well  equipped  throughout  with 
the  most  approved  machinery.  The  machines  find 
a  market  in  the  leading  iron  and  steel  works,  in  en- 
gineering and  government  work  shops,  all  over  the 
United  States.  *  *  *  Tliese  works  have  also 
turned  out  over  eight  hundred  steam  hammers  of  all 
sizes,  from  the  largest  to  the  smallest  used  in  this 
country.  The  company  has  also  made  four  hundred 
cranes  of  various  kinds  and  types,  including  four 

"over-head  power  traveling  cranes  for  the  United 
.States  Navy  Yard,  Washington,  D.  C.,  one  of  which 
is  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  the  world,  and  will  lift 
with  ease  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons.  The  Morgan 

•Company  are  now  building  another  of  the  same  ca- 
pacity for  the  Arsenal  at  \Yest  Troy,  X.  Y.,  to  be 
operated  by  electricity,  and  another  of  fifty  tons  ca- 
pacity for  the  Xew  York  Navy  Yard.  This  company 
is  building  several  gun  carriages  for  the  United  States 
Government,  one  of  which  will  weigh  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  tons.  Mr.  Morgan  has  furnished  the 
leading  ship-builders  of  the  United  States  Govern- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  297 

nient  with  some  of  their  most  important  machinery 
for  riveting  and  flanging,  of  which  he  is  the  only 
manufacturer.  Air.  Morgan,  now  deceased,  was  a 
remarkable  man.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Ameri- 
can Institute  of  Alining  Engineers,  American  So- 
ciety of  Alechanical  Engineers,  Iron  and  Steel  Insti- 
tute, and  Alechanical  Engineers  of  Great  Britain. 
.He  has  been  a  member  of  the  State  and  National 
Conventions,  was  President  of  the  Board  of  Trade, 
member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Mount  Union 
College,  director  of  the  Alliance  Banking  Company, 
and  Supreme  President  of  the  New  Order  of  Adel- 
phia,  with  headquarters  at  Alliance. 

The  sons  now  employed  in  the  shops  are  John 
Alorgan,  chief  engineer;  Thomas  R.  Morgan,  secre- 
tary and  general  manager  of  the  works;  William 
Henry  Alorgan,  assistant  secretary  and  general  man- 
ager, also  chief  electrician  in  the  electrical  depart- 
ment; Edwin  Alorgan  and  Arthur  Alorgan.  For 
many  of  the  facts  stated  we  cheerfully  acknowledge 
our  indebtedness  to  "The  Cambrian." 

Judge  King  paid  a  high  tribute  to  Hon.  T.  R. 
Morgan  at  the  Youngstown  banquet,  speaking  of 
him  as  an  "inventive  genius,"  and  "a  man  not  only 
the  Welsh  people  should  be  proud  of,  but  the  whole 
American  nation."  It  was  unfortunate  that,  as  a 
candidate  from  the  i8th  Congressional  District,  this 
excellent  and  popular  man  was  not  returned  to  Con- 


298  Welshmen  as  Factors 

gress.  His  unexpected  departure  from  earth's  ac- 
tivities to  be  with  Christ,  was  to  him  great  gain;  but 
the  event  left  a  great  and  distressing  gap  in  the  large 
•  sphere  he  was  wont  to  occupy. 

Major  W.  Reynolds,  a  native  of  Georgia,  had  set- 
tled in  Talladega  county,  Alabama,  in  1833.  He  was 
known  as  a  man  of  wealth  and  moral  worth.  He  was 
a  public-spirited  citizen  and  a  liberal  supporter  of 
secular  and  religious  enterprises.  The  Selma,  Rome 
and  Dalton  Railway  is  said  to  have  owed  its  exist- 
ence "more  to  him  than  to  any  other  person." 

One  year,  1869,  may  indicate  how  this  nationality 
have  held  positions  of  trust.  A.  L.  Thomas  was 
clerk  of  Circuit  and  District  United  States  Courts 
for  Kansas;  and  in  District  Courts,  2nd,  Nathan 
Price,  Troy;  3rd,  John  T.  Morton,  Topeka;  8th,  James 
Humphreys,  Manhattan.  In  the  Court  of  Appeals 
in  Kentucky  sat  Judge  R.  K.  Williams,  Mayheld, 
and  Judge  B.  J.  Peters,  Mount  Sterling,  receiving 
salaries  of  $4,000  each  for  their  services.  Louisana 
had  J.  K.  Howells,  New  Orleans,  for  Associate  Judge 
of  Supreme  Court  of  that  State,  salary  $7,000  a  yea-. 
Mary  land  had  in  its  State  Governinnent,  George  L.  L. 
Davis,  of  Baltimore,  as  Commissioner  of  Land  Office, 
and  Isaac  B.  Jones,  of  that  city,  as  Attorney  General; 
in  its  4th  Circuit  Court  sat  Thomas  Parry,  of  Cum- 
berland. Maine  had  on  the  Executive  Council  Charles 
Adams,  Jr.,  from  the  7th  District.  Michigan  had  in 


///  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  299 

her  State  Government  for  Auditor,  Gen.  William 
Humphreys,  Adrian;  for  Commissioner,  Land  Office, 
Benjamin  D.  Pritchard,  Allegan;  in  her  Circuit 
Court,  Judge  E.  Lawrence,  Ann  Arbor,  and  M.  B. 
Hopkins.  Missouri  had  for  Treasurer,  D.  M.  Will- 
iams; William  A.  Morgan,  Auditor;  J.  S.  Morris, 
Attorney  General;  H.  L.  Harris,  Associate  Judge  of 
High  Court  of  Appeals;  R.  O.  Rowlands,  a  Reporter. 
Isaac  H.  Jones  was  Superintendent  of  the  Reform 
School,  Manchester,  New  Hampshire,  79  inmates. 
North  Carolina  had  David  A.  Jenkins,  Treasurer; 
H.  H.  Adams,  Auditor;  C.  L.  Harris,  Superintendent 
of  Public  Works.  South  Carolina  had  W.  M.  Thomas 
as  Judge  of  Circuit  Court.  Tennessee  had  W.  P. 
Jones  as  Superintendent  of  the  Hospital  for  the  In- 
sane, Nashville,  170  inmates.  Texas  had  William  C. 
Phillips  for  Secretary  of  State.  Vermont  had  Stephen 
Thomas  for  Lieutenant-Governor ;  William  H.  Jones, 
Assistant  Judge  of  County  Court  for  Windham 
county.  Virginia  had  in  the  7th  Circuit  Court,  John 
A.  Meredith;  in  the  9th,  Henry  W.  Thomas;  in  the 
I2th,  John  T.  Harris.  Wisconsin,  for  United  States 
Court  Circuit  Judge,  had  David  Davis;  for  Circuit 
Court,  8th  Circuit,  H.  L.  Humphrey.  All  these  and 
very  many  more  were  important  political  factors. 

We  crave  the  indulgent  patience  of  the  reader  as 
among  political  factors  we  note  a  Pennsylvania!!  by 
birth,  the  late  Hon.  W.  T.  Price,  a  patriotic  citizen 


300  Welshmen  as  Factors 

and  a  most  faithful  public  servant,  who  died  at  his 
home  in  Wisconsin,  December  6th,  i88<5.  Congress 
gave  a  memorial  of  him,  and  from  it  we  learn  his 
reputation.  He  had  represented  the  8th  District  of 
his  State  in  the  48th,  49th  and  5oth  Congresses.  His 
last  term  was  remarkable  for  the  large  majority  of 
the  votes  which  returned  him  to  the  House,  over 
12,500  majority.  This  was  the  more  creditable  in 
that  Mr.  Price  was  a  strong  temperance  advocate,  a 
believer  in  prohibition  of  the  liquor  traffic,  a  woman's 
rights  champion,  ami  that  011  all  political  and  moral 
issues,  he  took  a  stand  so  positive  and  uttered  his 
views  with  such  pronounced  emphasis.  "There  was 
no  neutral  tint  in  this  man's  character."  He  was  an 
iconoclast.  In  the  State  Senate,  1879,  he  said:  "I 
never  stood  back  for  fear  of  party  or  shrouded  my 
convictions  in  doubt  and  uncertainty  and  gloom,  for 
fear  of  hurting  a  political  party.  I  have  an  ambition 
to  do  my  dirty  as  a  Senator,  to  do  all  I  can  to  help 
every  poor,  weak,  erring  brother  that  needs  my  help, 
and  to  fight  every  graceless,  Godless,  soul-less 
scoundrel  who  will  leap  to  personal  aggrandizement 
upon  the  fallen  fortunes  and  the  wrecked  lives  of  his 
fellows."  The  House  of  Representatives  and  the 
Senate  of  the  United  States  paid  him  merited  respect. 
The  eulogies  of  Caswell,  and  Thomas  and  Hudd  of 
Wisconsin,  with  that  of  Pettibone,  of  Tennessee,  that 
of  Breckinridge,  of  Kentucky,  that  of  Henderson, 


///  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  301 

of  Iowa,  were  glowing  with  reminiscences  of  this 
civil,  political  and  moral  factor.  Not  less  glowing 
was  the  tribute  paid  to  the  memory  of  this  man  in 
the  United  States  Senate,  March  ist,  1887,  by  Mr. 
Spooner,  of  Wisconsin.  "As  a  man  of  integrity,  of 
skill,  of  indiistry,  of  earnestness,  of  sanctified  common 
sense,  and  of  benevolent  charities,  Mr.  Price  was 
worthy  of  every  honorable  mention  made  of  him." 
The  reader  will  not  object  to  one  or  two  extracts 
from  the  above  addresses;  and  they  are  germane  to 
our  subject.  In  the  House  of  Representatives,  Mr. 
Casw7ell  said:  "It  was  characteristic  of  him  to  be 
ready  for  whatever  emergency  awaited  him.  He  was 
elected  four  times  to  the  Senate  of  his  State,  and  on 
one  occasion  he  was  chosen  President  of  that  body. 
He  was  also  twice  elected  to  the  Lower  Branch  of 
the  Legislature.  He  was  also  for  awhile  Judge  of 
the  Probate  Court,  a  court  which  administered  most 
important  and  sacred  trusts.  He  was  also  collector 
of  internal  revenues,  filling  with  great  credit  that 
most  responsible  position  under  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment. During  his  entire  public  life,  ex- 
tending through  every  position,  State  or  Federal, 
which  he  held,  I  venture  to  say  not  a  blot  or  stain 
can  be  folmd  on  his  record  which  would  tarnish  his 
official  and  most  honorable  service."  In  the  address 
of  Mr.  Thomas  we  read,  "Few  could  with  more  safety 
trust  the  memory  of  a  long  and  public  life  to  the 


302 

scrutiny  of  mankind.  *  *  *  He  was  a  natural 
leader  of  men,  and  was  early  pushed  forward  to  the 
head  of  the  column.  *  *  *  So  fully  did  the  people 
know  the  honesty  of  his  convictions  that  they  were 
not  unwilling  to  follow  his  lead,  and  twice  was  he 
honored  by  the  nomination  to  Congress  of  the  Pro- 
hibition, as  well  as  the  Republican  party."  Mr. 
Pettibone,  of  Tennessee,  spoke  of  the  departed  as  "a 
manly  man,  one  full  to  overflowing  with  decision  of 
character,  with  intense  individuality  and  a  courage 
of  his  convictions.  *  *  *  When  he  addressed  the 
House,  we  knew  he  always  had  something  to  say, 
and  he  always  said  it  with  a  directness  and  with  some- 
thing of  the  force  of  a  cannon  ball.  *  *  *  He 
served  his  constituents  and  served  his  country  well 
and  faithfully."  Mr.  Hudd  said:  *  *  *  "At  the 
age  of  27  he  occupied  a  seat  in  the  Wisconsin  State 
Legislature,  as  a  member  of  the  Assembly  thereof, 
and  although  one  of  the  youngest,  and  presumably 
least  experienced  members  thereof,  at  once  took  rank 
in  that  body  with  men  far  his  seniors  in  years.  * 
He  caused  investigation,  provoked  attention,  excited 
debate,  sometimes  exposed  shams  and  tore  off  cover- 
ings, and  thus  prevented  careless,  if  not  improper 
legislation.  In  such  a  body  as  this  such  a  legislator 
is  often  a  most  useful  and  always  an  interesting 
member."  In  the  Senate,  Mr.  Spooner  said;  "To 
him  the  Government,  State  and  National,  was  not  a 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  303 

far  away,  fanciful  thing-,  in  which  the  individual  citi- 
zen has  no  direct  interest.  *  *  *  He  was  an  exact- 
ing employer,  but  his  men  loved  him,  for  he  was 
generous  and  just  to  them.  *  *  *  With  all  the 
details  of  his  great  business  operations  pressing  upon 
him,  he  would  attend  a  session  of  the  Legislature, 

*  *     *     investigating  with  scrupulous  care  all  bills 
proposing  to  take  money  from  the  public  treasury, 
and  contributing    his    full  share    and1  more    to  the 
debates  of  the  session.     *     *     *     To  the  National 
Congress   he   brought   excellent   legislative   training, 
a  keen  sense  of  fidelity  to     public     trust,  peculiar 
ability  and  a  high  and'  reasonable  ambition  to  excel. 

*  *    *    He  was  a  substantial  factor  in  Congressional 
legislation.     *     *     *     Every  man  who  knew  him  and 
his  history  in  the  State  will  recall,  as  I  do,  more  than 
one  instance  in  which  he  upheld  what  he  deemed 
to  be  a  moral  obligation  of  the  people  when  it  brought 
to  him,  for  the  time,  nothing  but  obliquy,  distrust, 
and  abuse."     We  felt  strongly  inclined  to  tak-  other 
and  more  ample  quotations  from  this  memorial  vol- 
ume, for  two  reasons :  First,  because  these  commenda- 
tions come  from  such  a  source.     Second,  because 
the  man  was  greater  and  better  than  the     highest 
eulogium  pronounced  upon  his  character. 

Hon.  Hiram  Price,  a  Pennsylvania!!,  who  went  to 
Iowa  in  1844,  was  elected  School  Fund  Commissioner 
and  held  that  office  for  nine  years.  In  1848,  he  was 


304  Welshmen  as  Factors 

elected  County  Recorder  and  Treasurer.  In  1859 
he  was  the  treasurer  of  the  Iowa  State  Bank,  serving 
in  that  office  seven  years.  After  the  war  he  was 
President  of  the  Davenport  and  Northwestern  Rail- 
road. He  served  in  Congress  in  the  38th,  39th,  4oth 
and  45th.  He  had  declined  the  honor  of  serving  in 
the  41  st  Congress. 

John  W.  Jones,  Virginia,  was  Speaker  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  in  the  28th  Congress,  1843-4-5, 
followed  by  John  W.  Davis,  Indiana,  in  the  29th 
Congress,  a  post  of  honor  coveted  even  by  Henry 
Clay  and  Schuyler  Colfax,  ajid  James  G.  Elaine.  In 
the  42nd  Congress  George  W.  Morgan,  of  Ohio,  re- 
ceived 92  votes  against  126  given  to  J.  G.  Rlaine  in 
an  election  of  Speaker.  The  Speaker  in  the  United 
States  House  of  Representatives  is  its  presiding 
officer,  and  his  salary  double  that  of  the  rest  of  the 
members.  Added  to  those  named,  we  find  that  D. 
H.  Lewis  was  Senator  from  Alabama  in  1844-7,  W- 
H.  Edwards  from  Connecticut,  in  1823-1827.  Hon. 
Horace  Davis  was  a  son  of  the  eminent  Senator,  John 
Davis,  Massachusetts,  and  sat  in  the  45th  Congress 
as  a  representative  from  the  San  Francisco  District. 
In  this  Congress  sat  Hiram  Price,  who  had  already 
served  six  years  as  a  representative  of  Iowa;  William 
A.  Phillips,  of  Kansas,  and  Judge  A.  B.  James,  who 
had  long  served  on  the  Supreme  Bench  of  his  State, 
sat  for  New  York.  The  silver  question  was  up  at 


/;/  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  305 

this  time,  and  Senator  J.  P.  Jones  advocated,  "that 
the  United  States  should  remonetize  silver  without 
regard  to  the  future  of  Europe,"  whilst  Professor 
Francis  Bowen  declared,  ''the  proper  place  for  silver 
in  the  monetary  system  to  be  that  of  sub-sidiary  or 
token  currency."  Mr.  Elaine's  testimony  to  the  repu- 
tation of  Senator  Henry  G.  Davis,  of  West  Virginia, 
who  sat  in  the  42nd  Congress,  is  of  great  value,  as  Mr. 
Elaine  and  he  were  of  opposite  political  faith.  This 
is  what  he  says,  "Mr.  Davis  had  honorably  wrought 
his  own  way  to  high  station,  and  had  been  all  his  life 
in  active  affairs.  He  steadily  grew  in  the  esteem 
and  confidence  of  both  sides  of  the  Senate,  and  when 
his  party  attained  the  majority  he  was  entrusted  with 
the  responsible  duty  of  the  Chairmanship  of  the  Com- 
mittee on  Appropriations.  No  more  painstaking  or 
trustworthy  man  ever  held  that  place."  (Vol.  II,  p 
507.)  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  an  office  of  the 
greatest  responsibility,  was  conferred  on  W.  M. 
Meredith,  Pennsylvania,  in  March,  1849,  anc^  °n 
Philip  F.  Thomas,  Maryland,  in  December,  1860.  J. 
H.  Eaton,  Tennessee,  was  made  Secretary  of  War  in 
March,  1829,  then  Jefferson  Davis,  Mississippi,  in 
March,  1853,  and  John  E.  Floyd,  Virginia,  in  March, 
1857- 

These  particulars  are  named  to  show  how  in  dis- 
tant Western  States,  as  in  the  Middle,  Eastern  and 
Southern  may  be  traced  the  nationality  of  which  we 


306  Welshmen  as  Factors 

write.  Our  list  is  by  no  means  complete.  Francis 
W.  Hughes,  of  Pottsville,  was  elected  to  the  Senate 
in  1841,  was  appointed  Secretary  of  the  Common- 
wealth in  1853,  and  Attorney-General  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. Hon.  Jesse  B.  Thomas,  the  father  of  Rev.  J. 
B.  Thomas,  D.  D.,  was  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Illinois. 

Whilst  under  appointment  as  Secretary  of  the 
Commonwealth,  and  Superintendent  of  Common. 
Schools,  Hon.  Francis  W.  Hughes  made  a  report 
in  which  he  itemized,  among  other  "defects  of  the 
school  system"  this  one,  viz.:  The  want  of  more 
guards  against  the  employment  of  incompetent  teach- 
ers, and  the  adoption  of  measures  to  increase  the 
number  and  secure  the  services  of  such  only,  as  are 
competent."  He  advocated  a  wise  policy  and  more 
liberal  pay,  with  the  division  of  the  State  into  dis- 
tricts, the  holding  of  teachers'  institutes,  and  other 
features  of  the  present  advanced  methods  of  our  pub- 
lic school  system.  In  1852  Mr.  Hughes  issued  his 
excellent  pamphlet  on  the  subject.  Two  years  later 
came  advanced  legislation,  based  on  the  law  of  1849, 
but  adding-  the  new  features  recommended  in  the 
Superintendent's  report.  This  educational  revision 
has  proved  an  unspeakable  blessing  to  the  Key- 
stone State. 

Among  the  moral  factors  of  this  period,  we  would 
refer  to  a  few  whose  labor  and  worth  were  extraordin- 


LL.  IOAN  EVANS,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  307 

ary.  Racine,  Wis.,  profited  not  a  little  by  the  sojourn 
there  of  LI.  loan  Evans,  a  young  man  of  mark,  just 
17  years  old,  fresh  from  Wales.  He  studied  at 
Racine  College,  his  father  being  pastor  of  the  Welsh 
Calvinistic  Church  in  that  city.  Of  the  literary  so- 
ciety there,  and  the  Racine  Eisteddfod,  he  was  prime 
mover.  He  was  a  successful  essayist,  and  won  prizes 
in  Eisteddfodic  competition,  both  in  prose  and  poetry. 
In  1856,  he  was  enthusiastic  for  the  election  of  Free- 
mont,  and  an  able  advocate  of  freedom  for  the  slave. 
He  was  elected  to  represent  Racine  in  the  Legislature 
of  Wisconsin.  Here  he  served  on  the  Education 
Committee,  and  no  man  was  better  fitted  for  such  a 
position.  In  the  autumn  of  1857,  he  settled  in  Cin- 
cinnati, and  entered  Lane  Seminary.  Of  him  we 
will  have  more  to  write  in  another  chapter. 

The  man  so  interested  in  the  success  of  Dickinson 
College,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  was  a  Virginian,  Rev.  John 
Davis,  born  in  1787.  He  was  instrumental  in  the 
conversion  of  over  a  thousand  souls. 

A  moral  factor  of  great  force  and  efficiency  was  the 
late  Rev.  R.  Everett,  D.  D.,  who  came  hither  from 
Denbigh,  North  Wales.  For  many  years  he  was  the 
editor  and  publisher  of  the  Welsh  Congregational 
organ,  "Y  Cenhadwr."  He  was  forward  in  every 
good  work,  and  a  terror  to  evil  doers  in  church  or 
state.  On  the  temperance  question  he  was  very  out- 
spoken. Of  the  anti-slavery  movement  he  was  a 


308  Welshmen  as  Factors 

sturdy  champion.  He  regarded  the  liquor  traffic  as 
a  sin  against  God,  and  slavery  was  to  his  mind  utterly 
abhorrent.  His  pulpit  and  his  editorial  chair  gave 
forth  no  uncertain  sound  on  these  matters.  In  1830 
he  formed  a  temperance  society  in  Utica,  N.  Y. 

At  Reading,  Pa.,  the  Rev.  Elias  J.  Richards,  D.  D., 
died  in  1872.  On  the  marble  tablet  in  the  church  of 
which  he  was  pastor  for  over  25  years,  we  read:  ''The 
entire  community  recognized  in  him  a  leading  mind, 
and  mourned  his  departure  as  a  public  loss."  He 
was  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  First  Baptist  Church  of  this  city  was  favored 
with  the  efficient  and  faithful  ministry  of  a  Welsh- 
man well  known  in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania, 
the  late  Rev.  Isaac  Bevan,  D.  D.  To  this  day  his 
memory  is  fragrant  and  his  name  honored  among 
the  older  members  of  this  large  church. 

As  moral  factors  of  note  we  name  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  F.  Pierce,  both  natives  of  Wales.  This  re- 
markable pair  came  to  this  country  in  1867.  Mr. 
Pierce  superintended  the  Lehigh  Valley  Railroad 
shops,  and  soon  took  charge  of  the  Iron  Works  at 
Iron/dale,  Alabama.  Later  he  opened  collieries  in 
Jefferson  County,  in  that  State.  "One  of  his  first 
duties,  wherever  located,  has  been  to  provide  a  house 
of  worship  for  the  men  under  his  charge."  At  War- 
rior he  put  up  a  place  of  worship,  paid  the  pastor, 
and  conducted  a  Sabbath  school  of  great  fame  and 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  3-09 

usefulness.  This  school  was  established  in  1874,  and 
has  borne  fruit  "a  hundred  fold."  About  four  years 
ago,  Mr.  Pierce  removed  to  Drakesborough,  Ky., 
and  found  that  church  services  were  held  in  a  small 
school  building.  These  devoted  Christians  went  to 
work  and  ere  long  a  handsome  structure  was  set  up 
with  seating  capacity  for  three  hundred  persons.  The 
Sabbath  School  increased  from  28  to  115,  under  the 
superintendence  of  Mr.  Pierce.  This  gentleman  and 
lady  have  well  earned  the  title  by  which  they  are  so 
widely  known,  "The  Miners'  Friends."  Their  labors 
have  been  greatly  useful  in  the  moral  elevation  of 
society  and  the  salvation  of  souls.  These  factors  well 
deserve  the  prominence  given  them  in  the  "Christian 
Herald." 

John  S.  Reese,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  Maryland,  studied 
at  Washington  Medical  College,  Baltimore,  and 
graduated  at  Washington  Medical  College,  Pennsyl- 
vania. Turning  his  attention  to  the  ministry  of  the 
Gospel,  he  developed  gifts  of  a  high  order.  He 
preached  in  Maryland  for  the  space  of  twenty-seven 
years.  Rev.  George  C.  M.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  was  also 
a  distinguished  preacher  and  physician.  His  father 
was  a  preacher.  This  maif  founded  the  "Historical 
Society  of  Baltimore."  He  was  chaplain  of  the  mili- 
tary station  at  Baltimore,  during  many  years.  As 
citizen  and  pastor  also,  Rev.  E.  Y.  Reese,  D.  D.,  was 
highly  esteemed.  He  was  chosen  Public  School 


3io  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Commissioner  of  Baltimore,  and  in  1857,  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  First  Branch  of  the  City  Council. 
He  was  withal  quite  a  popular  lecturer  and  poet. 
He  died  at  the  early  age  of  forty-five.  For  a  period 
of  fully  forty-two  years,  the  Rev.  J.  W.  M.  Williams, 
D.  D.,  has  been  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
in  Baltimore.  The  parents  of  Rev.  William  Richards 
were  well-to-do.  He  labored  in  North  Carolina  and 
Virginia.  The  Meherin  Baptist  Association,  over 
which  he  presided  for  many  years,  owed  much  of  its 
strength  and  efficiency  to  his  labors. 

The  Baptists  of  Missouri  hold  in  honored  remem- 
brance the  name  of  the  wealthy  and  benevolent  Ro- 
land Hughes,  who  died  in  1855,  of  typhoid  fever.  He 
was  an  ornament  to  his  nationality,  and  a  moral  fac- 
tor of  great  worth  to  this  Republic. 

Kentucky  has  been  blessed  with  the  labors  of  Rev. 
Thomas  M.  and  Rev.  William  Vaughan,  D.  D.,  both 
father  and  son  being  factors  of  great  worth  in  that 
State. 

The  Rev.  Samuel  S.  Harris,  D.  D.,  an  ex-lawyer 
and  able  clergyman,  exercised  a  salutary  and  potent 
influence  on  churches  of  the  Episcopacy  in  various 
places,  south  and  north  of  trie  Ohio.  Dr.  Harris,  in 
1883,  published  in  New  York  his  excellent  lectures 
on  "The  Relation  of  Christianity  to  Civil  Society." 

Rev.  Isaac  Owen,  about  the  time  of  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  California,  was  (1849)  appointed  a  mission- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  311 

ary  to  that  modern  Ophir.  He  is  ranked  among 
"men  fit  to  found  states  and  empires. '  He  and  others 
"invaded  the  gambling  hells  and  preached  Jesus  and 
the  Resurrection  to  gangs  of  half-crazed  cut-throats 
and  adventurers,  set  up  a  Christian  newspaper,  the 
"California  Advocate,"  and  made  it  the  organ  of  lib- 
erty, education,  righteousness  and  orthodoxy;  hunted 
barbarism  out  of  its  gaudy  palaces,  and  drove  it  into 
dens  and  caves,  and  fairly  wrenched  the  mastery  of 
those  golden  shores  from  the  grasp  of  libertinism  and 
atheism  and  gave  it  over  into  the  hands  of  men,  whose 
consciences  they  at  last  succeeded  in  waking  up." 
(Daniels'  Hist,  of  Meth.,  p.  676.)  The  good  doctor 
assisted  in  establishing  the  University  in  1851.  "No 
man,"  says  Bishop  Simpson,  "did  more  for  laying  the 
foundations  of  the  Church  on  the  Pacific  Coast  than 
did  Isaac  Owen."  In  1852,  a  portion  of  California 
was  set  apart  with  Isaac  Owen  for  Presiding  Elder. 
Dr.  Owen  was  a  Vermcnter  by  birth ;  he  did  "efficient 
service  for  the  Indiana  Asbury  University." 

Rev.  W.  D.  Powell  and  Rev.  W.  R.  Roberts  have 
been  prominent  in  Sunday  School  work  in  Texas. 
The  Convention  (B)  organized  in  1866,  has  in  one 
year,  1877-8,  organized  70  new  schools,  and  the 
President  was  W.  R.  Howell,  Esq. 

Rev.  J.  A.  W.  Thomas,  of  South  Carolina,  spent 
his  life  in  Marlborongh  county,  with  Bentonville 
Church,  where  he  was  ordained  in  1840.  During  a 


312  Welshmen  as  Factors 

ministry  of  over  40  years  he  baptized  more  than  a 
thousand  persons.  Rev.  S.  Thomas  did  immense 
moral  service  in  Kentucky  and  Missouri.  Of  the 
thousands  converted  under  his  ministry,  thirty-four 
became  preachers  of  the  Gospel.  Rev.  Benjamin 
Thomas,  D.  D.,  of  Little  Rock,  Tenn.,  was  a  native 
of  Wales;  having  come  to  this  country  he  received  an 
education  in  Dennison  University,  and  was  ordained 
in  1846.  In  Ohio  and  Illinois  he  did  excellent  service, 
and  was  for  some  time  Western  Secretary  of  the 
American  Bible  Union.  Subsequently  he  became 
President  of  Judson  University.  Rev.  Thomas  Jones 
Price,  the  famous  "Boy  Preacher,"  a  native  of  South 
Wales,  having  come  to  American  at  thirteen,  was 
converted  two  years  later  and  began  to  preach  in 
Qark  county,  Ohio.  For  thirty-nine  years  he  pre- 
sided over  the  Mad  River  Association,  and  exercised 
a  controlling  influence  in  that  body.  He  had  wealth 
of  purse,  as  well  as  of  mind  and  heart,  and  so  Elder 
Price  was  a  benefactor  of  poor  people  and  feeble 
churches.  Ohio  felt  the  value  of  this  factor  for  fifty- 
eight  years.  Again  and  here,  we  must  recall  the 
name  of  Rev.  Benjamin  William  Chidlaw,  D.  D.,  who 
£aw  full  four  score  years  of  earthly  life.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  decide  wherein  this  good  man  excelled,  so 
many  and  marked  were  the  good  qualities  which 
adorned  his  character. 

Mr.  Halstead  writing  of  the  early  ministry  of  Dr. 


BENJAMIN  W.  CHIDLAW,  D.  D. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  313 

Chidlaw,  his  "near  and  dear  friend,"  says:  "In  the  win- 
ter Mr.  Chidlaw  ta night  school  in  his  church,  -  school 
which  it  was  my  privilege  two  winters  to  attend. 
It  was  very  different  from  the  common  schools,  that 
is,  Mr.  Chidlaw  was  there,  and  it  was  agreeable  to 
be  reasonably  good  where  he  was.  Bad  boys  and 
girls  were,  in  that  atmosphere,  simply  impossible. 
*  Mr.  Chidlaw  was  then  thirty  years  of  age." 

A  factor  of  wonderful  moral  value  was  Dr.  Morgan, 
the  famous  professor  in  Oberlin  College,  Ohio,  the 
lifelong  friend  and  fellow-laborer  of  the  great  Finney. 
The  latter  paid  an  unconscious  tribute  to  Morgan's 
intellectual  height  when  he  prayed  for  him  in  this 
singular  manner:  "Lord,  here  is  Dr.  Morgan.  *  * 
Help  him  to  preach;  give  him  great  simplicity,  so 
that  we  shall  not  have  to  stand  on  tip-toe  to>  under- 
stand what  he  says."  The  Doctor  was  held  in  the 
highest  reverence  in  Oberlin,  that  ideal  community 
of  the  "Buckeye  State." 

The  Gale  College,  Galesville,  Wis.,  started  over 
forty  years  ago,  has  proved  a  success.  In  this  insti- 
tution Welshmen  have  taken  special  interest  and  for 
its  prosperity  have  wrought  well.  Dr.  G.  James 
Jones  (Llew  OT  Llain)  and  W.  D.  Thomas,  Ph.  D., 
D.  D.,  have  served  as  presidents  here.  The  venerable 
Rev.  Erasmus  W.  Jones,  D.  D.,  expressed  high  hopes 
for  the  future  of  this  college. 

Rev.   B.  Thomas,  D.   D.,  took  an  active  part  in 


.  314 

founding  Judson  University,  Judsonia,  Ark.,  and  for 
years  he  was  its  devoted  and  successful  president. 
The  late  Judge  Powell,  Ohio,  a  Breconshire  man, 
whose  son  is  an  able  lawyer  in  Columbus,  presented 
to  the  Wesley  an  University  the  Delaware  Springs 
and  lands  adjacent.  There  are  900  students  here. 
"Evan  Jones,  Esq.,  of  Lime  Springs,  Iowa,  has  done 
good  service  as  an  educator;  by  his  kind  assistance 
such  men  as  Rev.  W.  Williams,  B.  Davis,  Esq., 
County  Auditor,  Prof.  R.  Jones,  Illinois,  Rev.  J.  T. 
Evans,  Chicago,  and  Hon.  W.  Theophilus  were 
raised  to  honor  and  usefulness. 

We  find  as  patrons  of  and  instructors  in  important 
institutions  of  learning,  a  long  list  of  Welsh  names, 
East  and  West,  North  and  South. 

John  Stevens,  D.  D.,  took  an  active  interest  in 
establishing  the  Fairmount  Seminary  in  Cincinnati, 
O.,  and  Dr.  W.  Shadrack,  in  behalf  of  Lewisburg, 
now  Bucknell  University,  Pennsylvania.  Dr.  D.  W. 
Phillips  was  the  originator  of  the  Nashville  Institute 
for  the  education  of  colored  students,  and  became  its 
able  President  and  instructor.  Of  those  who  took  a 
leading  part  in  the  establishment  of  Rochester  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  named  after  the  name  of  its  patron 
of  Welsh  descent,  John  D.  Trevor,  Yonkers,  N.  Y., 
(Trevor  Hall)— were  William  R.  Williams,  D.  D., 
New  York,  Friend  Humphrey  and  A.  R.  Pritchard. 
Within  the  walls  of  this  school  of  divinity  the  fol- 


In  t]w  Development  of  the  Republic.  315 

lowing  have  been  educated:  R.  J.  Adams,  Jesse  B. 
Thomas,  D.  D.,  Jv  H.  Griffith,  D.  D.,  P.  J.  Morgan, 
with  other  men  of  might.  To  the  Rochester  College 
J.  D.  Trevor,  Esq.,  gave  $113,000;  Lewis  Roberts 
gave  $10,925;  to  its  chair  of  mathematics,  T.  H. 
Harris  contributed  $30,250.  William  H.  Davis,  of 
Cincinnati,  is  a  graduate  of  this  college. 

In  Howard  county,  Mo.,  is  Lewis  College,  a 
monument  to  the  liberality  and  patriotism  of  Col. 
B.  W.  Lewis  and  family.  It  is  located  in  Glasgow, 
where  the  Colonel's  son,  Major  James  M.  Lewis, 
resides.  It  has  done  a  good  work  in  the  cause  of 
education.  Robert  Powell  was  born  in  Hamilton, 
N.  Y.,  1805.  He  was  one  who  became  interested  in 
organizing  the  institution  which  developed  into  the 
well  known  Madison  University,  or  as  recently 
named,  Colgate  University.  Benjamin  H.  Thomas, 
son  of  Thomas  E.  Thomas,  born  in  Wales,  has  the 
credit  of  founding  Ried  Institute. 

Added  to  the  college  presidents  already  given  we 
name  a  few  of  later  date.  In  the  South,  Charles 
A.  Lewis,  a  Virginian,  was  President  of  Rappa- 
hannock  Academy.  Rev.  George  H.  Reynolds, 
having  studied  under  Dr.  Staughton,  in  Phila- 
delphia, was  appoinetd  principal  of  the  Academy 
at  Berrysville,  Frederick  county,  Va.,  an  office  he  held 
until  his  death.  T.  H.  Pritchard,  D.  D.,  became 
President  of  his  alma  mater,  Wake  Forest  College, 


316  Welshmen  as  Factors 

N.  C,  1879.  Rev.  J.  P.  Williams,  in  1861,  became 
President  of  the  Female  Seminary  in  Columbia.  Dr. 
Robert  S.  Thomas,  forty  years  ago,  presided  over 
William  Jewell  College,  Missouri.  Rev.  Samuel 
Richards,  Providence,  R.  I.,  was  for  years  President 
of  the  South  Jersey  Institute.  After  the  war,  P.  B. 
Reynolds  became  President  of  Slielton.  College,  in 
his  native  State.  He  also  served  as  President  of  the 
West  Virginia  Baptist  Educational  Society.  Rev.  R. 
M.  Price  has  been  President  of  the  Davenport  Female 
College,  N.  C.  J.  S.  Hopkins  has  served  as  President 
of  Emery  College,  Oxford,  Ga.  Dr.  Noah  K.  Davis, 
a  Philadelphia!!  of  Southern  birth,  was  President  of 
Bethel  College,  Kentucky.  Hon.  J.  L.  Jones,  A.  M., 
presided  over  the  Columbia  Female  College,  under 
the  auspices  of  the  M.  E.  Church.  The  Wesleyan 
Female  College,  of  Murfreesboro,  N.  C.,  was  opened 
in  1855.  Joseph  H.  Davis  was  its  first  President. 
Of  the  Union  Seminary  here,  Rev.  J.  H.  Eaton  was 
President  until  his  death.  Dr.  Phillips  was  Principal 
of  the  National  Institute.  Northeast  we  have  Rev. 
George  W.  Eaton,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  President  for 
twelve  years  of  Madison  University,  now  Colgate 
University,  and  for  ten  years  of  the  Theological  Sem- 
inary, Hamilton,  N.  Y.  The  Doctor  delighted  to 
trace  his  Welsh  ancestry,  and  made  a  tour  in  Wales. 
In  the  East  Dr.  Justim  Edwards  has  been  president  of 
Andover  Theological  Seminary,  (1837-42.)  Rev.  J. 


In  tJic  Development  of  the  Republic.  317 

T.  Edwards  was  President  of  Greenwich  Seminary 
and  Medical  Institute  of  Rhode  Island.     In  the  West 
Rev.  N.  C.  Lewis  was  Principal  of  the  Abington  Sem- 
inary, Illinois,  in  1856 ;  and  in  1872,  Rev.  J.  T.  Evans 
was  President,  when  the  institution  was  known  as 
Hedding  College.     Mr.  Evans  held  this  position  for 
many  years.    In  1877,  there  were  here  three  hundred 
and  twenty-five  students  in  attendance.    John  Eaton 
was  President  of  Marietta  College,  Ohio.    Of  Denni- 
son   University,   formerly    Granville   College,    Ohio, 
Rev.  A.  Owen,  D.  D.,  has  been  President.     In  1872 
Rev.  Josiah  M.  Pugh,  A.  M.,    was    an    educator  of 
fame.     In  1872  he  was  appointed  President  of  An- 
drew Female  College,  Texas.    Professor  D.  M.  Evans 
is  President  of  Redfield  College,  S.  D.     Some  years 
ago  the  Rev.  Owen  James,  D.  D.,  was  called  from  an 
important  pastorate  in  Pennsylvania  to  the  presidency 
of  Roger  Williams  University,  Tennessee.     His  pre- 
decessor in  this  position  was  Rev.  Alfred  Owen,  D.  D., 
At    Judson    University,    Arkansas,     Rev.    Benjamin 
Thomas,  D.  D.,  was  President  for  several  years,  and 
was  succeeded  in  that  office     by  Dr.  R.  S.  James. 
Forty  years  ago  the  honored  Professor  James  stood 
high  in  his  calling  in   Lewisburg  University.     His 
sons,  C.  R.  James,  in  the  legal  profession,  and  Dr. 
J.  Sexton  James,  as  editor  and  pastor,  have  come  to 
honor,  whilst  their  father  is  yet  living.    Colonel  J.  M. 
Edwards  was  the  efficient  President  of  the  Board  of 


318  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Trustees  of  Columbian  University,  Washington,  D. 
C,  forty  years  ago.  Governor  Joseph  E.  Bowen,  of 
Georgia,  gave  $50,000  for  the  endowment  of  a  pro- 
fessorship in  the  Southern  Theological  Seminary  of 
Louisville,,  Ky. 


FIFTH  SPAN  OF  OUR  BRIDGE. 


GABFIELD    TO    HARKISON.-1881-1888. 

In  the  men  who,  as  Presidents,  open  and  close  this 
section,  Garfield  and  Harrison,  this  Republic  was 
signally  favored.  Both  these  were  men  of  faith  in 
God,  men  of  firm  and  unflinching  devotion  to  con- 
science and  duty.  Their  executive  ability  was  of  the 
highest  order.  In  his  letter  accepting  a  place  in 
President  Garfield's  Cabinet,  as  Secretary  of  State, 
Honorable  James  G  .Elaine  wrote,  December,  1880, 
"I  accept  *  *  *  not  for  the  honor  of  the  promo- 
tion it  gives  me.  *  *  *  In  our  new  relations  I 
;shall  give  all  that  I  ami,  and  all  that  I  hope  to  be 
freely  and  joyfully  to  your  service.  *  *  *  I"  accept 
it,  as  one  of  the  happiest  circumstances  connected 
with  this  affair,  that  in  allying  my  political  fortunes 
with  yours,  or  rather  for  the  time  being  merging 
mine  in  yours,  my  heart  goes  with  my  head,  and  that 
I  carry  it  to  you  not  only  political  support,  but  per- 
sonal and  devoted  friendship."  Garfield,  alas!  was 
numbered  with  Lincoln — "Our  Martyr  Presidents." 

The  following  poem  was  composed  by  this  essayist, 
September  27th,  1881  : 


320  Welshmen  as  Factors 


THE  NATION'S  SORROW. 

Great  God  of  nations  see  this  favor'd  land, 

Bow'd  in  deep  sorrow  'neath  Thy  mighty  hand. 

Gone  is  its  Chief,  its  noble,  honor'd  Head— 

The  Nation's  heart  is  bleeding  o'er  its  dead! 

Was  ever  prince,  or  potentate,  or  king, 

So  honor'd  as  was  he  of  whom  we  sing  ? 

This  universal  sorrow  tells  of  worth 

Notorious  in  the  annals  of  the  earth. 

Of  him  •whose  body  we  have  laid  away, 

In  yonder  grave-yard  it  is  safe  to  say, 

And  say  with  emphasis  most  true  and  just, 

The  world  has  few  his  equals  !    So  august 

Was  he,  so  truly  great,  that  to  his  name 

"Augustus"  might  be  added,  for  his  fame 

Outshone  the  lustre  of  those  sons  of  Rome 

Who  proudly  wore  that  title.    From  his  home, 

A  humble  cabin  in  Ohio,  see 

A  more  than  Caesar  rise  from  poverty, 

To  honor  such  as  Caesar  never  knew; 

Such  was  the  Chief  to  whom  we  said  "Adieu  !" 

Who  then  shall  chide  this  Nation's  sorrow  now— 

The  wail  of  woe  with  which  we  try  to  bow 

To  this  mysterious  Providence?    Weep!    Weep, 

Ye  sons  of  sorrow:  let  your  grief  be  deep 

As  is  the  loss  you're  called  to  mourn— the  loss 

Of  one  who  climbed  to  glory  through  the  Cross, 

For  he  had  known  the  hardships  of  a  lot 

By  no  means  easy.    This,  our  Chief  was  not 

Dandled  in  luxury  and  rich,  but  knew 

A  lowly  origin  !    And  yet,  so  true 

Was  he  to  Nature  and  to  God  and  self 

As  not  to  grovel  in  pursuit  of  pelf. 

He  was  ambitious,  yet  sought  not  to  be  rich, 

But  chose  the  better,  nobler  part,  by  which 

He  rose  to  be  the  Nation's  Chieftain,  and 

To  hold  the  helm  of  State  with  Christian  hand  ! 

Thank  God  for  Garfield;  by  His  wondrous  grace 

Our  God  did  mold  him,  made  him  of  a  race 

Whose  birth  is  heavenly,  the  true  sons  of  God 

Whom  He  doth  lead  and  govern  by  His  nod. 

Such  was  the  Christian  President  we  mourn; 

Such  was  our  Chieftain,  to  yon  grave-yard  borne. 

There  sleeps  his  honor'd  dust,  nigh  Erie's  lake, 

Until  the  trump  of  God  shall  bid  the  dead  awake. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  321 

Our  mourning  may  the  God  of  nations  see, 

And  help  us  profit  by  this  mystery, 

God  grant  the  holy  influence  of  one 

Whose  course,  as  President,  had  just  begun 

To  open  with  such  promise,  may  henceforth 

Incline  this  Nation  to  cencede  the  worth 

Of  virtue,  piety  and  Godly  fear 

That  made  our  Garfield's  walk  with  God  so  near. 

Thus,  chasten'd  by  our  sorrow,  we  shall  be 

A  Nation  ever  Glorious,  Pure  and  Free  ! 

He  was  a  man  of  astonishing  fitness  for  the  office  he 
filled,  and  from  which  he  was  so  cruelly  removed. 
It  was  claimed  that  his  assassin  was  demented,  but 
the  act  was  none  the  less  a  general  calamity.  The 
nation  was  called  to  sympathy  with  the  distinguished 
sufferer  at  Elberon  for  some  time,  but,  despite  the 
best  medical  skill,  death  ensued,  and  a  dark  pall  of 
sorrow  fell  on  the  entire  country.  A  term  of  service 
which  opened  with  so  great  promise,  was  closed 
amid  profoundest  grief.  Hardly  less  afflictive  was  this 
death  than  that  of  Lincoln. 

In  this  period  we  have  occasion  to  give  consid- 
erable space  to  Welsh  factors  in  yet  other  lines,  and 
in  responsible  positions. 

The  United  States  to-day  boasts  of  a  larger  num- 
ber of  newspapers  and  periodicals  than  any  other 
country  on  the  globe.  In  1720  the  colonies  of  North 
America  had  but  seven  newspapers;  thirty-five  years 
later  there  were  thirty-seven  in  the  country:  Massa- 
chusetts, seven;  Pennsylvania,  nine;  Connecticut, 
four;  New  York,  four;  South  Carolina,  three;  the 


322  Welshmen  as  Factors 

rest  two  and  one  apiece.  By  1810  the  total  had  risen 
to  358,  and  by  1825,  to  802.  In  our  day  daily  papers 
are  numbered  at  about  12,000;  the  circulation  is  now 
computed  by  millions. 

First  look  at  this  nationality  as  related  to  the  press. 
We  are  glad  to  find  and  record  that  within  the  last 
decade  many  men  of  Welsh  name  appear  prominent 
among  American  journalists.  Editors  are  in  most 
instances  factors  civil,  political  and  moral,  though 
some  are  more  specially  secular,  and  some  more  em- 
phatically moral  or  religious.  Elaine  well  says  of 
this  calling:  "No  test  of  a  man's  power  is  more  severe 
than  the  demand  made  by  a  daily  newspaper;  an 
editor  must  needs  be  posted  on  current  topics  of  all 
kinds,  but  especially  on  political  matters.  His  needs 
be  the  pen  of  a  ready  writer  who  can  \\rite  off-hand 
with  force  and  precision."  The  number  of  Welsh 
names  found  in  this  calling  is  verily  surprising.  N. 
W.  Ayer  &  Son,  in  a  recent  issue  of  the  "Newspaper 
Annual,"  furnish  ns  editors  or  proprietors,  or  both, 
hundreds  of  men  of  such  name.  In  New  England, 
29;  in  New  York,  32;  in  Pennsylvania,  28 ;  in  Jersey, 
Maryland,  Delaware  and  District  of  Columbia,  15; 
in  Ohio,  20;  in  Indiana,  12;  in  Illinois,  31;  in  Michi- 
gan, 21 ;  in  Wisconsin,  20;  in  Iowa,  39;  in  Minne- 
sota, 9;  in  the  Dakotas,  32;  in  Kansas,  33;  in  Ne- 
braska, 20;  in  Colorado,  7;  in  Nevada  and  Oregon,  7; 
in  Washington,  6;  in  California,  18.  The  Southern 


BENJAMIN  F.  LEWIS. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  323 

States  give  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  15;  Louisiana 
and  Arkansas,  13;  Missouri,  26;  Mississippi,  7;  Ala- 
bama, 13;  Florida,  6;  Georgia,  19;  the  Carolinas,  25; 
the  Virginias,  21.  The  "Idaho  World"  is  issued 
twice  a  week  by  Charles  E.  Jones,  and  E.  R.  Richards 
issues  "Wood  River  News,"  daily. 

Of  the  "New  England  Suburban  Press  Association," 
in  1887-8,  the  President  was  Charles  A.  Lee,  Paw- 
tucket,  R.  I.;  the  Auditor,  George  W.  Davis,  of 
Everett,  Mass.  Of  the  "Maine  Press  Association"  that 
year,  Howard  Owen,  Augusta,  was  President;  George 
H.  Watkins,  Portland,  Corresponding  Secretary;  and 
of  the  Rhode  Island  Press  Association,"  Charles  A. 
Lee  was  both  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  The  Penn- 
sylvania "State  Editorial  Association"  that  same  year 
chose  R.  H.  Thomas,  Mechanicsburg,  as  Secretary 
and  Treasurer.  Thomas  M.  Jones  served  on  the 
Executive  Committee.  The  Third  Vice  President  of 
the  "North  Carolina  Press  Association"  was  J.  A. 
Thomas,  Louisburg;  the  Assistant  Secretary,  F.  H. 
Davis,  Hendersonville.  On  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee were  C.  C.  Daniels,  Wilson,  and  J.  J.  Daniels, 
Raleigh.  C.  H.  Jones,  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  was  Vice- 
President  of  the  Southern  Press;  E.  P.  Howell,  At- 
lanta, Ga.,  of  the  Florida  Press  Association;  F.  E. 
Harris,  Ocala,  was  made  Vice-President;  of  the 
Missouri  Press  Association,  William  L.  Thomas,  St. 
Louis,  was  Treasurer.  D.  F.  Davis,  Columbus,  was 


324  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Treasurer  of  the  Nebraska  Association.  The  Dakota 
Association  chose  for  President,  A.  Davis,  Huron; 
for  Vice  President,  J.  C.  Adams,  Webster.  Of  the 
Colorado  Association,  H.  B.  Jeffries,  Denver,  was 
Assistant  Secretary.  F.  G.  Adams,  of  the  Kansas 
State  Historical  Society,  was  chosen  Statistical  Sec- 
retary of  the  Kansas  State  Association.  On  the  Ex- 
ecutive Committee  of  Illinois  Press  Association  were 
M.  W.  Matthews,  Urbana,  and  Thomas  Reese, 
Springfield;  and  on  that  of  the  Iowa  Press  Associa- 
tion, was  W.  H.  Francis,  Michigan  City.  The  Minne- 
sota Press  Association  made  Charles  L.  Davis  its 
Second  Vice  President. 

In  the  National  Editorial  Association  of  the  Re- 
public we  find  in  1886-7,  tnat  C.  H.  Jones,  Jackson- 
ville, Fla.,  was  elected  President,  and  C.  A.  Lee,  of 
Rhode  Island,  Vice  President;  R.  H.  Thomas,  Me- 
chanicsburg,  Pa.,  Assistant  Recording  Secretary.  On 
the  Executive  Committee  was  the  President,  T.  S. 
Jones,  Baton  Rouge,  La.  These  items  are  eloquent 
in  the  testimony  they  furnish  as  to  the  journalistic 
status  of  men  of  this  nationality. 

We  add  a  few  scattered  items.  "The  Cambrian," 
formerly  edited  by  E.  C.  Evans,  A.  M.,  is  specially  de- 
voted to  matters  of  interest  to  the  Cambro- Ameri- 
can. At  this  tirme,  T.  J.  Griffiths  publishes  this 
valuable  periodical.  It  has  contributions  month- 
ly from  able  writers  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Mr. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  325 

Griffiths  prints  also  the  Welsh  Methodist  monthly 
"Y  Cyfaill,"  and  the  mailing-  list  of  "Y  Drych"  now 
numbers  12,000  weekly.  This  sheet  is  edited  by  John 
C.  Roberts  and  D.  R.  Williams  (Index).  Mr.  Roberts, 
during  his  over  thirty  years  connection  with  it,  has 
done  much  to  make  our  national  newspaper  a 
great  success.  His  tact  and  talent  are  ap- 
preciated by  the  proprietor,  and  so  is  the 
skill  cf  "Index."  Mr.  Griffiths  has  two  sons  and 
several  Welshmen  in  this  busy  establishment,  where 
electricity  and  machinery  are  ever  pushing  forward 
the  work.  As  a  publishing  house  this  office  is  turn- 
ing out  books  worthy  of  a  place  side  by  side  with  any 
in  the  trade. 

A  few  facts  about  the  journalism  of  Lacka wanna 
and  Wyoming  Valleys,  Pennsylvania.  "The  Lacka- 
wanna  Journal"  was  published  by  George  M.  Reynolds 
in  1849.  In.  1858  he  became  sole  proprietor  of  the 
"Advance,"  Dr.  A.  Davis  and  J.  D.  Adams  purchased 
the  "Herald  of  the  Union,"  Scra-nton,  and  again  the 
doctor  bought  out  Mir.  Adams's  interest  in  1859.  In 
1866  Mr.  Adams  began  to  issue  the  ''Morning 
Herald."  The  Welsh  paper,  "Earner  America,"  was 
started  in  1869,  owned  by  a  corporation,  and  managed 
by  W.  \V.  Davis,  who  is  now  in  charge  of  "The  Tri- 
bune" Book  Department.  In  1874  the  "Baner"  was 
sold  to  Thomas  Phillips,  and  two  years  later,  to  D.  J. 
Evans.  In  1873,  the  "Hyde  Park  Visitor"  was  es- 


326  Welshmen  as  Factors 

tablished  by  Mr.  E.  R.  Williams,  and  four  years  later 
John  Morris  published  a  Welsh  paper  known  as  "The 
People's  Shield"  (Tarian  y  Bobl),  and  that  same  year, 
panne  out  the  "Welsh  Punch."  In  1879,  the  "Work- 
ing-man's Banner"  (Baner  y  Gweithiwr)  was  started 
by  Mr.  D.  J.  Evans. 

In  Wyoming-  Valley,  Lieutenant  Arnold  C.  Lewis 
published  the  "Pittston  Free  Presis"  in  1859,  inde- 
pendent in  politics.  B.  F.  Hughes  was  in  1871  inter- 
ested in  the  "Wyoming  Valley  Journal."  S.  J.  Rich- 
ards and  another  began  May,  1880,  to  issue  the  "Daily 
Watchman  of  Pittston,"  S.  D.  Lewis  bought  "The 
Democrat,"  Wilkesbarre,  in  1824.  He  was  known  as 
"The  painstaking  and  truth-revering  Lewis."  In  1832 
he  issued  the  "Wyoming  Republican."  In  1843  the 
"Advocate"  fell  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Lewis,  and  was 
merged  in  the  present  "Record  of  the  Times."  Jas. 
C.  Powell  has  been  for  a  long  while  on  the  editorial 
staff  of  the  "Wilkesbarre  Record."  He  is  a  native  of 
Lansford,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life  has 
wrought  in  this  Republic  by  the  power  of  the  pen  and 
the  press.  He  was  first  associated  with  the  "Shenan- 
doah  Herald,"  then  with  the  "Collier  Engineer."  The 
paper  he  now  edits  is  the  most  influential  and  popular 
in  Wyoming  Valley.  Its  political  faith  is  Republican. 

The  first  newspaper  published  in  Tioga  County,  Pa., 
was  the  "Pioneer"  (1824)  by  Ellis  and  Rankin  Lewis. 
In  May,  1892,  J.  H.  James,  editor  of  "Ashland  Local," 


/;/  the  Derclopjnoit  of  the  Republic.  327 

was  elected  Vice  President  of  the  Schuylkill  Press 
Association.  The  editor  of  the  McKeesport  "Morn- 
ing Herald,"  is  Mr.  Morris.  This  journal  is  fearlessly 
devoted  to  principles  of  truth  and  pure  politics. 

In  every  State  and  Territory  men  of  this  nationality 
are  an  honor  to  the  legal  profession;  they  practice  in 
cities  and  in  county  seats;  many  have  been  placed  in 
high  official  position.  We  name  but  a  few  of  these 
here.  S.  B.  Edwards,  Pottsville,  Pa.,  who  received 
nomination  for  District  Attorney  of  Schuylkill,  a  son 
of  Rev.  R.  Edwards,  and  brother  of  John  Edwards  in 
the  U.  S.  Navy  Service.  Judge  Ira  Harris,  who  sat  on 
the  bench  of  the  New  York  Supreme  Court.  Byron 
Hughes,  Mankato,  Minn.  John  R.  Jones,  District 
Attorney  of  Lackawanna  County,  Pa.,  and  member  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States.  He  set  his 
standard  high.  Judge  John  Morgan,  North  Dakota. 
Judge  J.H.Powell,  Col.  Howell  A.  Powell,  a  foremost 
lawyer  of  San  Francisco,  a  native  of  Breconshire, 
South  Wales.  Judge  G.  H.  Williams,  who  in  1871  was 
appointed  one  of  the  commissioners  to  sign  the  treaty 
settling  Alabama  claims,  became  in  1873  Chief  Jus- 
tee  of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court.  The  late  As- 
sociate Justice,  Henry  W.  Williams,  was  in  1865  ap- 
pointed Judge  of  the  Fourth  District,  Pa.,  being  tae 
youngest  on  the  bench.  Altogether  he  served  as  judge 
for  34  years.  Judge  Williams  was  an  active  Christian 
worker. 


328  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Again,  Judge  Ezek.  W.  Davis,  who  settled  at  Grand 
Rapids,  Mich.,  in  1834,  and  for  over  forty  years  exer- 
cised a  controlling  influence,  was  a  man  of  sound  mind 
and  broad  knowledge  of  the  law.  Judge  Henry  P.  Ed- 
wards, whose  "I  think"  had  so  great  weight  in  the 
Court  of  Appeals,  on  cases  both  intricate  and  import- 
ant, and  ex-Judge  Noah  Davis  of  New  York,  and 
Judge  T.  C.  Jones,  Delaware,  O.,  with  the  able  Judge 
Powell,  of  Ohio,  the  historian.  *This  last  man  proved 
a  blessing  to  this  country  for  a  loog  space  of  years, 
his  forensic  works  are  referred  to  as  authorities,  espe- 
cially his  "Analysis  of  the  American  Law."  Judge 
Jones,  of  Cleveland,  a  brother  of  Senator  Jones,  Ne- 
vada, for  years  adornied  his  seat  in  the  Superior  Court 
of  that  city.  About  the  year  1850  came  hither  the  able 
Judge  Jonathan  Reese,  who  served  in  the  Civil  War, 
and  was  Captain  of  the  27th  Ohio. 

In  the  slate  industry,  this  nationality  have  taken  a 
prominent  part,  as  is  said  by  E.  G.  Ellis  of  New  York, 
"Most  of  the  slate  quarry  men  of  the  country,  and 
probably  also  most  of  the  nrms  operating  the  quarries, 
are  either  Welsh  or  of  Welsh-  descent."  For  many 
years  it  was  customary  to  bring  slates  from  Wales  to 
the  United  States.  Now,  immense  quantities  of  slates 
are  shipped  to  the  old  country.  Of  our  more  than 
200  quarries,  Pennsylvania  operates  full  one  half. 

*His  "History  of  the  Ancient  Britons  and  their  Descendants"  was  pub- 
lished in  1882. 


JOSEPH  RICHARDS. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  329 

Forty-two  years  ago  the  Harry  Williams  slate  quarry 
was  opened  by  William  Roberts  on  Trout  Creek, 
near  Slatington.  It  is  valued  at  $150,000.00,  and  be- 
came the  property  of  H.  Williams.  As  early  as  1844, 
Mr.  Roberts  and  another  were  journeying  afoot  in  this 
neighborhood,  and  they  noticed  lying  against  a  barn 
a  slate  stone,  in  which  William  Roberts  recognized  a 
close  resemblance  to  the  mercantile  slate  of  his  native 
country.  Hence  came  this  great  industry. 

In  1858  the  Welsh  Congregational  Church  was  er- 
ected, and  soon  the  Welsh  Presbyterian,  destroyed  in 
1864,  but  rebuilt  and  enlarged  in  1883.  The  Welsh 
Baptist  Church  built  by  H.  Williams  in  1862,  was 
about  a  mile  outside,  but  the  church  is  in  Slatington 
now,  and  flourishing  under  the  pastorate  of  Doctor 
Richards.  Rev.  J.  W.  Morris  prepared  and  read  be- 
fore the  Slatington  Literary  Society  an  able  and  in- 
structive paper  on  the  "History  of  development 
through  the  Welsh  people  in  this  place."  It  will  ap- 
pear in  print,  but  it  is  written  in  Welsh. 

The  History,  by  Matthew  and  Hengerford,  speaks 
of  Welshmen  "as  bringing  into  existence  a  great  in- 
dustry." In  1849  David  Williams  arrived  here  from 
Penrhyn,  North  Wales,  and  in  a  few  years  owned  a 
large  quarry,  and  wrought  in  this  industry  with  marked 
success.  Of  the  Carbon;  Slate  Co.,  Slatington,  we  have 
a  notice  elsewhere.  See  portrait  gallery. 

From  the  "History  of  the  Borough  of  Bangor,  Pa.," 


33°  Welshmen  as  Factors 

we  learn  that  in  1865  R.  M.  Jones  of  Carnarvonshire, 
North  Wales,  "a  geologist  and  slate  expert"  followed 
the  slate  strata  from  the  Delaware  river  to  this  place 
and  found  here  suitable  conditions  for  profitable  slate 
quarrying.  He  named  it  Bangor,  because  of  its  re- 
remblance  to  Bangor  in  Wales.  Mr.  Jones  purchased 
the  farm  of  Philip  Labar.  Wrork  was  forthwith  com- 
menced here,  and  a  thriving  borough  was  incorporated 
in  1873.  At  this  time  the  population  is  5,000  or  more. 
Here  is  "one  of  the  largest  quarries  in  the  world." 

There  are  several  places  named  Bangor,  especially 
West  Bangor,  Pa.  Here  the  firnn  of  John  Humphreys 
&  Co.  acquired  great  fame  in  years  gone  by,  and  here 
the  Welsh  factor  John  J.  Roberts  operated  for  a  while, 
but  moved  hence  to  Arvonia,  West  Virginia,  in  1835. 
There  he  opened  a  quarry,  in  company  with  his  cousin 
John  W.  Edwards.  This  enterprise  has  succeeded  and 
grown  to  gigantic  proportions.  In  Virginia  the  firm  of 
H.  O.  Prichard  &  Co.,  Ore  Banks,  is  well  established, 
being  an  expert  in  this  industry.  He  came  from  Wales. 
The  Williams  Brothers  operate  extensively,  and  do 
well.  The  red  slate  of  R.  B.  Prichard,  Middle  Granville, 
N.  Y.,  was  praised  at  the  World's  Fair.  Mention  should 
be  made  of  the  Welshman  Benjamin  Williams,  who 
came  to  this  country  in  1853,  and  operated  the  Middle 
Granville,  N.  Y.,  slate  quarries  in  which  Jay  Gould 
had  largely  invested.  Mr.  Williams  was  for  years 
President  of  the  National  Red  Slate  Co. ;  he  also  took 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  331 

a  lively  interest  in  educational  matters  at  Middle  Gran- 
ville,  and  was  justice  of  the  peace  for  18  years.  He  was 
a  Congregationalist,  an  Ivorite,  and  a  citizen  in  high 
repute. 

In  Georgia  this  industry  has  been  carried  on  suc- 
cessfully by  such  men  as  Williams,  and  Morgans  and 
Davies;  two  of  these  have  retired  with  a  competency, 
but  Mr.  E.  Davies  is  still  "the  leading  operator"  in 
that  part  of  the  country. 

Richard  Roberts  of  Delta,  York  County,  Pa.,  is  an 
ingenious  inventor  and  a  successful  operator  in  this 
calling. 

These  hints  must  suffice  to  indicate  the  worth  of 
Welshmen  as  factors  in  this  line  of  industry,  and  we 
will  pass  on  when  we  have  stated  that  Maine  operators 
are  credited  with  having  the  most  advanced  and  im- 
proved methods  known,  and  that  the  Cambrian  Slate 
Co.,  Washington,  own  320  acres  of  slate  land. 

To  the  tin  industry  of  our  country  there  has  come 
of  late  years  a  prosperity  and  history  never  dreamed 
of  twenty  years  ago.  Welshmen  have  been  important 
factors  in  this  history,  for  that  this  was  largely  a  Welsh 
industry  in  the  old  country.  It  is  known  that  in  the 
time  of  Caesar's  invasion  the  ancient  Britons  had  a 
flourishing  tin  industry.  The  South  Wales  "Daily 
News"  of  September  5,  1892,  said,  "All  are  agreed  that 
much  is  at  stake  in  this  election,"  i.  e.  Harrison's 
"should  he  be  returned  to  power,  it  is  believed  *  *  * 


332  Welshmen  as  Factors 

that  the  example  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Edwards  of  Dyffryn 
and  others  in  erecting  works  in  the  States,  will  be  fol- 
lowed by  other  Welsh  firms.  *  *  *If  President  Har- 
rison is  re-elected  there  will  be  a  general  exodus  of 
Welsh  firms  to  America."  The  "Industrial  World"  of 
September  9,  1892,  remarks,  "That  the  McKinley 
tariff  has  permanently  injured  the  great  Welsh  staple 
trade,"  and  a  leading  manufacturer  declared,  "The 
only  hope  of  the  tin-plate  industry  in  Wales  depends 
upon  the  election  of  Mr.  Cleveland."  The  "Western 
Mail,"  Cardiff,  urged  at  all  cost  a  united  effort  "to 
crush  the  puny  American  industry  so  that  it  will  never 
be  able  to  lift  its  threatening  head  again."  All  this 
shows  the  way  this  matter  was  viewed  in  Wales.  The 
"puny"  thing  has  already  become  powerful,  and  is 
growing  in  power  and  efficiency  year  by  year.  Doubts 
were  suggested  as  to  our  having  at  command  sufficient 
tinning  deposit,  but  the  discoveries  in  South  Dakota 
have  put  such  doubts  to  flight.  The  supply  is  known 
to  be  "inexhaustible."  As  for  the  rest,  we  have  no 
ground  for  anxiety.  Rev.  Dr.  Richards,  Slatington, 
Pa.,  gave  in  "Y  Drych"  recently  an  interesting  record 
of  his  visit  to  the  tin  works  of  New  Castle,  Pa.,  where 
he  found  hundred's  of  Welsh  people,  and  many  of  those 
with  whom  he  had  worked  in  Wales.  Llewelyn  Jones, 
boss  of  the  tin  house,  secured  for  the  Doctor  permis- 
sion to  pass  through  the  entire  works.  He  gave  it  as 
his  opinion  that  the  improvements  here  were  ten  times 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  333 

as  many  as  those  in  Wales.  He  instanced  the  chang- 
ing of  an  impaired  roller,  which  takes  in  Wales  about 
four  hours,  being  accomplished  in  twenty  minutes,  or 
one-twelfth  the  delay!  The  mechanical  appliances 
here  ensure  an  output  of  tin  fully  double  that  which  is 
possible  in  Wales,  with  a  plant  of  equal  size  and  ca- 
pacity. Our  country  was  Wales'  best  market  formerly, 
'tis  so  no  longer.  At  Canal  Dover,  O.,  there  is  a  recent 
influx  of  Welsh  tin  workers,  so*  also  in  West  Newton, 
30  miles  south-east  from  Pittsburg,  where  Mr.  Wil- 
liams has  opened  tin  works,  with  flattering  prospects 
of  success. 

Moreover,  all  over  this  great  country,  Welshmen 
have  arisen  to  positions  of  mercantile  trust  and  con- 
fidence. "The  honest  Welshman"  is  appreciated  in 
these  days  of  shameless  trickery.  Not  every  man 
bearing  a  Welsh  name  is  worthy  of  the  distinction  im- 
plied in  the  aphorism  just  quoted;  nevertheless,  there 
stands  the  proverbial  saying,  and  for  some  reason,  the 
Welsh  are  considered  specially  trustworthy.  John  W. 
Roberts,  late  of  the  firm  of  Roberts  &  Steel,  Pittsburg, 
Pa.,  is  shareholder  and  President  of  the  San  Bernand- 
ino  National  Bank,  California.  He  is  also  Vice  Presi- 
dent of  the  First  National  Bank  of  Colton  in  the  same 
county.  Of  the  Farmer's  Savings  Bank  of  Williams- 
burg,  Iowa,  W.  R.  Evans  is  Vice  President,  and  D.  E. 
Evans  Cashier.  The  ex-lawyer,  Rev.  Luther  Reese,  of 
Texas,  was  in  1886  made  President  of  the  Kansas  City 


334  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Investment  Company.     He  is    a    native   of     Ystrad, 
Wales.    John  E.  Jones,  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  is  appointed 
cashier  for  the  British  Agency  of   the    London  and 
Liverpool   North   British   and   Mercantile   Insurance 
Company.    E.  Jones,  Esq.,  became  first  a  shareholder, 
then  a  director,  finally  the  President  of  the  Merchants' 
and  Mechanics'  Bank  of  Scranton,  Pa.    David  Eynon 
was  Superintendent  of  the  Catasauqua  Manufacturing- 
Company,  and  Daniel  D.  Jones  continued  for  nine 
years  director  of  the  Manufacturers'  National  Bank  of 
Philadelphia.     The  director  of  the  Wilmington  Na- 
tional Bank,  Washington  Jones,  is  a  son  of  William  G. 
Jones.    Of  the  Citizens'  Insurance  Co.,  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
Walter  Morris  is  both  Secretary  and  Director,  and  in 
the  Citizens'  National  Bank  Edward  R.  James  is  gen- 
eral bookkeeper,  John  D.  Reynolds  director.     These 
four  are  directors  of  the  Peoples'  National  Bank,  Da- 
vis, Jones,  Lloyd  and   Morgan,   R.  M.  Davis  is  teller 
in  the  Union  National  Bank.     Coming  to  the  "Em- 
pire City"  we  find  there  the  following,  John  Francis 
is  both  Vice  President  and  Director  of  the  Inter-State 
National  Bank.    Of  the  Atlantic  Insurance  Company 
J.  D.  Jones  is  President.     In  Wall  Street,  J.  B.  Wat- 
kins,  L.  M.  Co.,  a  trusted  firm  of  guaranteed  mort- 
gages, bonds  and  stocks  is  President.     Walter  H. 
Lewis  is  a  trustee  of  the  New  York  Life  Insurance 
Company.     In  recent  years,  T.  L.  James  has  been 
President  of  Lincoln  National  Bank. 


THOMAS  L.  JAMES. 


In  tlte  Development  of  the  Republic.  335 

Hon.  W.  T.  Thomas  has  risen  from  being  a  store- 
boy  at  fourteen  to  the  position  of  President  of  an  im- 
portant bank  in  Portland,  Maine,  and  is  the  oldest 
bank  president  in  that  State.  Another,  who  worked 
on  a  farm,  became  President  of  a  bank  in  New  Lon- 
don, Conn.  I  refer  to  J.  M.  Harris,  Esq.  From 
humble  origin,  Welshmen  have  come  to  prominence 
and  honor,  ranking  with  "The  successful  men  of  to- 
day." 

Of  those  in  places  of  trust  related  to  the  great  coal  in- 
dustry we  find  the  following,  besides  many  already 
named,  and  very  many  more  that  might  be  men- 
tioned.* In  Carbonado,  Washington,  there  are  three 
flourishing  collieries,  in  which  a  large  number  of 
Welsh  find  employment.  The  superintendent  is  Mr. 
D.  T.  Davis;  the  assistant  his  brother  Lewis  Davis; 
the  inside  superintendent  is  Evan  Lewis.  Edward 
Morgan  is  mine  inspector  at  Seattle,  Wash.;  Morgan 
Thomas  in  Iowa.  The  talented  and  Christian  John 
A.  Davis  superintends  the  No.  5  colliery  at  Blockton, 
Ala.  At  this  time  John  Jones  is  Superintendent  of  coal 
mines  in  Sherrodsville,  Carroll  County,  Ohio,  and  Da- 
vid J.  Morris  at  Minersville,  and  again  T.  M.  Williams 
at  Lykens,  Pa.  The  late  Hon.  Edward  Jones,  Oly- 
phant,  was  in  1854  President  of  the  D.  &  H.  Canal 

*In  the  "Report  of  Mining,  &c.,"  published  by  the  Board  of  Commis- 
sioners of  Pennsylvania,"  Wm.  H.  M.  Chance  refers  to  the  superiority  of 
Welsh  Miners  and  adds  that  they  "are  apt  to  be  found  in  positions  of 
trust  and  authority  in  later  life." 


336  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Company's  Works.  He  so  served  for  five  years.  Of 
late  the  Company  there  has  been  known  as  "Jones> 
Simpson  Co.,"  operating  under  Welsh  superintendents 
and  foremen.  David  R.  Roberts,  Audeiiried,  Pa.,  a 
native  of  North  Wales,  is  Assistant  General  Superin- 
tendent of  the  Honey  brook  Division  of  the  Lehigh 
and  Wilkesbarre  Coal  Company.  He  has  been  inside 
Superintendent  of  this  division  for  five  years".  Gen.  G. 
Roberts,  also  a  North  Wales  man,  now  holds  that 
position.  David  Reese  and  Evan  R.  Williams  are  in- 
side foremen.  For  over  a  quarter  of  a  century  the  ex- 
cellent B.  Hughes,  Hyde  Park,  Pa.,  has  been  inside 
Superintendent  of  the  collieries  owned  by  the  D.  L.  & 
W.  Company,  and  the  late  T.  D.  Davies  appointed  as 
Mr.  Hughes'  assistant  for  a  long  while  past.  Under 
them  are  several  able  Welsh  bosses.  In  like  manner 
the  late  J.  T.  Griffiths  had  several  Welsh  bosses  un- 
der him  operating  the  collieries  of  the  Wilkesbarre 
Coal  and  Iron  Company.  John  L.  Williams,  formerly 
of  Shenandoah,  having  been  District  Superintendent 
under  the  P.  &  R.,  is  now  General  Superintendent  of 
the  Union  Coal  Company  of  Shamokin,  Pa.  Until 
recently  a  Welshman,  Rees  Brooks,  held  the  position 
of  Principal  Superintendent  under  the  Scranton  Coal 
and  Iron  Company,  and  served  in  that  office  for  up- 
wards of  twenty  years.  John  Price,  Pottsville,  a 
brother  of  the  celebrated  Parson  Price  of  New  York 
City,  has  a  responsible  and  lucrative  position  as  Dis- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  337 

trict  Superintendent  under  the  Reading  Coal  Com- 
pany. In  St.  Clair  are  these  three,  Waters,  Davies  and 
Griffiths  famed  in  this  coal  industry. 

As  are  the  Welsh  preachers  so  also  the  Welsh 
bosses  are  too  numerous  to  mention.  The  Superin- 
tendents and  Foremen  of  this  nationality  have  been 
many,  and  their  record  glorious.  As  Mine  Inspectors 
we  might  name  Gwilym  M.  Williams,  Wilkesbarre;  E. 
Roderick,  Scranton;  T.  M.  Williams,  Lykens.  Mr. 
James  E.  Roderick,  a  former  Mine  Inspector,  and  an 
uncle  of  the  Roderick  just  named,  became  General 
Superintendent  of  the  Van  Wick  Collieries  at  Hazle- 
ton.  The  Rodericks  came  from  Cardiganshire,  South 
Wales.  Many  of  them  are  notable  men.  A  Glamor- 
ganshire man,  the  late  Morgan  B-owen,  superintended 
the  collieries  of  the  Pine  Brook  and  Bridge  Company 
for  years.  The  achievement  of  another  departed 
Welshman,  the  now  deceased  chief  Superintendent  of 
the  Lehigh  Company's  Works,  near  Wilkesbarre,  are 
worthy  of  note.  A  native  of  Breconshire,  South  Wales, 
the  late  James  R.  James,  Scranton,  Pa.,  was  Super- 
intendent of  Mount  Pleasant  Colliery  for  years,  and 
was  held  in  high  esteem.  Under  the  D.  L.  &  W.  Coal 
Co.  the  late  Edwin  Rees,  inside  Superintendent  at 
Nanticoke,  was  famed  for  ability  and  a  practical  know- 
ledge of  mining. 

William  R.  Griffiths  is  credited  with  being  "chiefly 
instrumental  in  the  formation  of  the  Pennsylvania  Coal 


338  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Company,  and  active  in  selecting  its  coal  lands.  John 
B.  Davies  holds  the  position  of  Inside  Superintendent 
of  several  collieries  belonging  to  the  D.  &  H.  Co  at 
Plymouth.  At  Irwin,  Pa.,  A.  N.  Humphreys,  a  son  of 
the  late  Robert  Humphreys,  who  died  at  Wilkesbarre, 
Superintendent  of  the  important  coal  mines  of  "The 
Westmoreland  Co."  This  gentleman,  like  his  father, 
has  acquired  extensive  knowledge  of  this  industry. 
Mr.  Robert  Humphreys'  name  and  fame  still  linger  in 
the  vicinity  of  Minersville  and  St.  Clair. 

It  is  known  that,  in  many  instances,  Welshmen, 
through  their  practical  knowledge  of  mining,  have  put 
to  confusion  the  findings  of  geological  surveyors.  A 
Schuylkill  miner,  William  Watkins,  now  wrell  known 
around  Puget  Sound,  is  head  manager  of  the  mines 
about  Seattle  andi  Tacoma,  where  it  was  affirmed  no 
coal  could  exist.  Watkins'  judgment  was  found  to  be 
correct,  and  the  company  that  relied  on  his  observa- 
tion, now  market  200  tons  of  coal  day  by  day.  It  is 
shipped  to  Seattle  on  the  Great  Northern  R.  R. 

In  iron  and  brass  works,  this  nationality  is  famous 
all  over  the  Union.  James  Beynon  of  the  Vulcan 
Rail  Mill,  South  St.  Louis,  has  been  famed  as  a 
manager.  Thomas  G.  Davies  is  the  efficient  manager 
of  the  Youngstown  Furnace.  His  skill  has  received 
notice  in  the  "Iron  Age."  Mr.  John  Evans  is  Gen- 
eral Superintendent  of  the  Iron  Works  at  Massillon, 
O.,  and'  has  been!  ini  this  position  a  dozen  years.  A 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  339 

large  number  of  Welsh  people  are  employed,  both  in 
the  mills  and  mines  of  Massillon,  Ohio.     Hon.  T.  L. 
Hughes  was  Secretary  and  Cashier  of  the  Jefferson 
Furnace  Company.  This  is  a  "Sabbath-rest"  furnace, 
and  from  the  very  first  it  has  been  paying  the  share- 
holders "larger  dividends  than  any  iron  company  in 
Ohio."    This  gentleman  is  the  father  of  the  Rev.  T.  L. 
Hughes,  D.  D.,  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
Shelbyville,  Ind.  Captain  William  R.  Jones  is  General 
Superintendent  of  the  Edgar  Thompson  Steel  Com- 
pany, Braddocks,  Pa.    "The  improved  methods  in  the 
manufacture    of    the    Bessemer    Steel    in  this  coun- 
try   are   largely      due     to     him."      Moreover   he    is 
"The  designer    of     the    blooming     mill"    in    these 
works,    said   to    be    "the   best   in   the    world."     In 
1881  he  was  called  upon  to  read   an    article   on  the 
manufacture  of  iron  and  Bessemer  Steel  in  the  United 
States,  before  the  Iron  and  Steel  Association.    He  is  a 
"factor"  of  extraordinary  value,  "famous,  the  world 
over,  for  his  skill  and  inventions."     Mr.  Griffith  W. 
Jones,  of  Reading,  Pa.,  is  the  Superintendent  of  the 
iron  mills  of  Mcllvain  &  Sons.    He  is  a  lineal  descend- 
ant of  the  immortal  Griffith  Jones,  Llanddowror,  who 
did  so  great  service  to  his  nation  in  providing  schools 
for  the  poor  of  Wales.  Edward  Edwards  was  for  many 
years  General  Superintendent  of   the  Ferndale    Iron 
Works,  Catasauqua.    Jos.  D.  Jones,  Soho.  Pittsburg, 
has  been  for  thirty-seven  years  connected  with  the 


34°  Welshmen  as  Factors 

copper  works.    He  was  a  brass  roller  of  great  fame. 

When,  in  1888,  Mr.  Daniel  L.  Jones,  a  native  of 
Merthyr,  Wales,  was  manager  of  the  Bessemer  Steel 
Plant  of  the  C.  C.  &  I.  Co.,  at  Pueblo,  Col,  "he  took 
a  leading  part  in  the  elevation  of  this  Tittsburg  of  the 
West,'  industrially,  morally  and  religiously."  Mr. 
Jones  was  an  officer  in  our  Civil  War,  and  again  he 
held  important  positions  in  our  steel  and  iron  indus- 
tries. In  1871  Jos.  Richards  took  the  Superintendence 
of  the  Roan  Iron  Works,  Chattanooga.  The  brother- 
in-law  of  the  world  renowned  musician  Dr.  Parry,  D. 
W.  Lewis  served  throughout  our  Civil  War  in  military 
life ;  later  he  superintended  iron  works  in  Georgia,  and 
has  lately  held  an  important  position  with  the  Hughes 
&  Paterson  Co.  of  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

It  is  known  that  in  Tennessee  Welshmen  mined  the 
first  output  of  copper,  set  up  the  first  furnace  for 
smelting  iron,  and  rolled  the  first  iron  bars  ever  made 
there.  Moreover,  this  people  opened  the  first  colliery 
of  any  importance  in  that  State.  They  were  the 
pioneer  settlers  at  Sale  Creek,  Hamilton  County,  and 
opened  the  coal  mines  there.  These  have  an  output 
of  300  tons  per  day.  Of  the  72  coke  ovens  here  Wil- 
liam Lloyd  is  manager.  Welsh  religious  services  are 
regularly  held  at  Sale  Creek. 

In  Ohio,  Evan  Jones  is  Superintendent  of  the 
Findlay  Iron  Works.  John  R.  Thomas  of  Niles 
purchased  the  blast  furnaces  there,  and  made  them  a 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  341 

success.  Again  and  again  have  these  works  been 
enlarged.  Now  they  can  cast  250  tons  of  iron  day  by 
day.  When  he  died,  February,  1898,  a  deep  gloom 
settled  down  on  Niles.  Thousands  upon  thousands 
thronged  to  the  funeral  of  this  great  man  of  Mor- 
ganwg.  He  was  the  friend  of  the  needy,  and  devoted 
to  the  welfare  both  of  the  public  and  the  Republic. 
His  sons  carry  on  the  works.  Another  famous  Welsh 
factor  was  Thomas  G.  Davies,  Youngstown,  who 
came  to  this  country  at  the  call  of  the  company  he 
has  so  well  served.  Mr.  Andrews  was  in  search  of  just 
such  a  mananger,  to  take  the  oversight  of  Hazleton 
Blast  Furnaces  near  Youngstown.  In  later  years  he 
had  the  management  of  Bellaire  Furnaces,  at 
Lowellville.  In  1885  or  6  he  became  manager  of 
the  furnaces  of  Brown  &  Bonnell,  securing  here,  as 
everywhere,  an  increased  output  of  pig  at  every 
casting.  Any  trouble  arising  in  furnaces  anywhere, 
the  man  to  set  all  right  again  was  Mr.  Davies. 

An  example  of  Welsh  pluck  and  Welsh  skill  was 
Roger  W.  Rees,  of  Llanilltyd,  South  Wales.  In 
conversation  with  those  immediately  interested  in  the 
\\ork  of  the  Etna  Steel  Company,  he  avowed  that  he 
could  roll  tin  plates  in  Sheet  Mill  No-,  i.  Moreover  he 
agreed  to  pay  for  the  iron  if  he  failed  of  his  design. 
He  succeeded.  The  first  plates  were  sent  to  be  tinned 
at  Bellaire,  and  a  dozen  of  these  forwarded  to  the 
then  Senator,  now  President  McKinley,  and  certain 


342  Welshmen  as  Factors 

other  Senators,  for  inspection.  They  served  as  eye- 
openers!  This  was  in  September,  1891. 

In  1890  at  Wilmington,  Del.,  a  shareholder  in  the 
Diamond  State  Rolling  Mill,  John  T.  Davies,  passed 
hence.  He  was  an  expert  in  his  calling  as  pattern- 
maker. He  arrived  from  Wales  in  1850.  The  mill, 
from  employing  less  than  70  men  in  1867,  employed 
fully  800  the  year  of  Mr.  Davies'  death.  So  skillful 
was  he  that  the  company  paid  him  a  salary  of  $7,500 
a  year.  He  was  a  Christian  gentleman,  and  an  active 
member  of  the  Hanover  Presbyterian  Church,  Wil- 
mington. In  Southington,  Conn.,  at  the  Etna  Nut  and 
Bolt  Works,  John  Griffiths,  who  was  first  roll-turner 
for  a  while,  has  been  for  years  Superintendent  of  this 
extensive  and  long-established  works.  He  is  a  pure 
Welshman. 

Various  corporations  and  organizations  have  been 
fortunate  in  securing  the  services  of  excellent  men  of 
this  nationality.  Of  this  we  have  given,  and  will  give 
hereafter,  interesting  confirmation.  In  Utica,  N.  Y., 
William  Hughes  served  the  N.  Y.  Central  R.  R.  Co.  as 
Master  Mechanic,  for  a  long  term  of  years.  He  was  in 
various  respects  a  factor  of  great  fame.  A  trusted  and 
long-tried  paymaster  of  the  P.  &  R.  Company  at  Potts- 
ville,  Pa.,  is  Mr.  Jacob  Jones,  a  native  of  Minersville, 
whose  parents  were  from  South  Wales.  In  Kingston, 
Pa.,  William  L.  Miles  has  long  been  manager  of  the 
blacksmithing  department  of  the  D.  L.  &  W.  R.  R.  Car 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  343 

Works.  He  was  a  man  of  literary  turn  and  Eistedd- 
fodic  fame.  His  bardic  compositions  were  of  consider- 
able merit.  He  was  a  lover  of  good  and  of  good  men; 
at  this  writing  he  too  is  numbered  among  the  depart- 
ed. At  the  Delano  shops  of  the  L.  V.  R.  R.,  John  R. 
James  has  been  foreman  of  the  same  department.  Mr. 
Jones  served  the  Reading  R.  R.  Co.  from  1853  to  187*5. 
Chas.  Powell  from  Soutth  Wales  has  held  important 
positions  under  the  L.  V.  C.  &  N.  Company  at  Mauch 
Chunk,  for  the  past  thirty  years. 

In  the  Moxom  Works,  William  Watkins  is  Super- 
intendent of  moulders,  Benjamin  Sevan  of  the  roll 
turners,  Mr.  Evans  of  the  welding  department  in  the 
Splice  Works  in  Johnstown,  Pa.  This  place  has  been 
famous  from  the  very  first  for  potent  factors  of  Welsh 
blood  in  various  lines  of  skillful  industry.  Such  an  one 
was  the  renowned  furnace  builder  Mr.  Thomas  Har- 
ris, who  afterwards  removed  to  Pittsburg,  and  is  gone 
to  the  rest  above.  He  was  a  useful  factor  in  social  and 
church  relations  for  a  long  while.  Rev.  T.  Rhoslyn 
Davies,  Pittsburg,  is  married  to  a  daughter  of  Mr. 
Harris. 

In  Federal  and  State  affairs  we  find  honored  Welsh- 
men. Among  the  Commissioners  chosen  to  sit  with 
British  Commissioners,  in  1871,  to  adjust  the  differ- 
ences between  the  two  governments  touching  the 
claims  of  American  subjects  or  British  subjects,  was 
George  H.  Williams,  late  Senator  of  the  United  States 


344  Welshmen  as  Factors 

from  Oregon.  The  Secretary  on  the  American  side 
was  J.  C.  D.  Davis.  The  deliberation  of  these  com- 
missioners resulted  in  the  treaty  of  Washington,  dated 
May  8,  1871.  The  basis  for  adjusting  the  Alabama 
claims  was  promptly  agreed  upon.  "This  question 
stood  in  the  fore  front  of  the  treaty." — Blaine.  These 
claims  were  to  be  adjusted  by  a  commission  to  meet 
at  Geneva,  Switzerland,  when,  September  I4th,  1872, 
after  a  nine  months'  hearing  the  arbitrators  gave  judg- 
ment, that  "the  sum  of  $15,500,000.00  in  gold  be  paid 
by  Great  Britain  to  the  United  States."  At  this  Gen- 
eva sitting,  Charles  Francis  Adams  represented  the 
United  States,  and  J.  C.  B.  Davis  was  appointed  agent 
of  the  United  States.  In  no  position*  was  the  trust 
reposed  more  important,  especially  in  its  prospective 
as  well  as  its  retrospective  bearings,  than  in  this  case. 

"Honorable"  indeed  was  the  late  W.  F.  Williams, 
who  died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  August,  1892,  a  native 
of  the  national  capital.  He  was  a  scholarly  and  trust- 
worthy man.  Mr.  Williams  held  an  office  of  trust  in 
the  United  States  Treasury. 

In  1887  Francis  William  T.  Davis  was  Lieutenant 
Governor,  and  Henry  W.  Williams  Associate  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Pennsylvania,  a  position  he 
had  previously  filled  in  1883.  Elias  Lewis  was  Attor- 
ney General,  having  aforetime  served  as  Associate 
Judge,  and  again  as  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  State. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  345 

In  1887  Governor  Beaver  made  the  following  ap- 
pointments: On  the  Board  of  Agriculture,  W.  B. 
Powell;  on  State  Board  of  Health,  J.  F.  Edwards,  M. 
D.,  Philadelphia,  and  Benjamin  Lee,  M.  D.;  as  Factory 
Inspector  in  Second  District,  William  H.  Lewis;  as 
Inspector  of  Anthracite  coal  mines,  G.  W.  Williams  in 
Third  District;  David  Jonathan  in  Fourth;  as  Inspec- 
tors of  bituminous  coal  mines  in  Second  District, 
William  Jenkins;  in  Third  District,  Thomas  K. 
Adams;  in  Fifth  District,  J.  J.  Davis;  in  Sixth  District, 
Josiah  Evans;  as  Manager  of  State  Reformatory 
School,  Morganza,  James  M.  Thomas;  as  Trustee  of 
Hospital  for  Insane,  Danville,  Stuben  Jenkins;  as 
Trustee  of  Hospital  for  Insane,  Norristown,  B.  T. 
Evans;  as  Physician,  Dr.  Jos.  Thomas.  That  same 
year  we  have  the  following  officials  in  this  State: 
Charles  Davis,  County  Surveyor,  Allegheny;  D.  W. 
Evans,  Coroner,  Cambrian  County;  T.  B.  Lloyd,  Pro- 
thonotary,  Register  and  Clerk  in  Cameron  County; 
Josiah  W.  Williams  as  Commissioner  in  Carbon  Coun- 
ty ;  Peter  A.  Evans  as  Treasurer  in  Columbia  County ; 
.E.  J.  Jones,  Treasurer  of  Dauphin  County;  William  F. 
Matthews,  Sheriff,  aod  W.  D.  Thomas,  Prothonotary 
of  Court  of  Quarter  Sessions,  in  Delaware  County;  W. 
L.  Williams,  Coroner  in  Elk  County;  and  Andrew  K. 
Davis,  Coroner  in  Fulton  County;  E.  D.  Jenkins, 
Recorder  in  Lackawanna  County ;  and  W.  G.  Daniels 
Clerk  of  Quarter  Sessions  and  Orphans'  Court,  and  H. 


346  Welshmen  as  Factors 

M.  Edwards,  District  Attorney,  now  Judge  Edwards, 
and  J.  L.  Lawrence,  Surveyor;  John  H.  Thomas  as 
Clerk  of  Orphans'  Court,  in  Lebanon  County;  Wil- 
liam P.  Jones  as  Clerk  of  Quarter  Sessions,  in  Luzerne 
County;  P.  L.  Williams  as  Sheriff  in  Mercer  County; 
T.  Price,  as  Commissioner,  and  W.  S.  Reese,  as  Sur- 
veyor, in  Monroe  County;  E.  J.  Lewis,  Register  and 
Recorder,  and  O.  J.  Reese,  Surveyor,  in  Potter  Coun- 
ty; Geo.  Evans,  Commissioner,  in  Schuylkill  County; 
Z.  D.  Jenkins  for  Sheriff,  in  Susquehanna  County; 
Walter  R.  Francis,  Coroner  in  Tioga  County;  B.  W. 
Lewis,  District  Attorney,  Wyoming  County.  In  the 
fall  of  1889,  Gov.  Beaver  appointed  Commissioners  to 
revise  the  Pennsylvania  Poor  Laws,  and  placed  as 
Chairman  of  that  important  committee  that  Welshman 
Lewis  Pugh  of  Scranton. 

In  the  Pennsylvania  Senate,  1889-90,  Hon.  W.  T. 
Davis,  Lieutenant  Governor,  sat  as  President;  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  a  considerable  number  of 
distinguished  Welshmen  have  done  good  service  to  the 
State. 

We  had  prepared  an  alphabetical  list  of  from  thirty, 
to  forty  men  who  in  Federal  or  State  relations  de- 
served mention,  but  our  limits  forbid.  Such  factors, 
and  their  work,  would  take  up  a  considerable  portion 
of  a  book  such  as  this.  Hon.  Miles  S.  Humphreys, 
of  Pittsburg,  is  now  Chief  Superintendent  of  the  City's 
Safety  from  casualties  by  fire.  The  late  Hon.  D.  D. 


JUDGE  H.  M.  EDWARDS. 


In  tJie  Development  of  the  Republic.  347 

Phillips,  Gordon,  Pa.,  a  native  of  Pontypridd,  South 
Wales,  was  sent  to  the  Legislature  in  1885,  and  was 
re-elected.  He  represented  his  district  in  State  Con- 
ventions again  and  again. 

Hon.  Elias  Davies  represented  the  Thirteenth  Dis- 
trict, and  made  for  himself  a  goodly  reputation  as  a 
faithful  servant  of  the  people.  Mr.  Davis  succeeded 
in  securing  a  two-weekly  pay  for  the  employees  of  the 
State.  Its  design  was  to  aid  and  benefit  the  sons  of 
toil.  He  is  a  native  of  New  Castle,  Schuylkill  County. 

During  the  thirty  years  from  i8(5o  to  1890,  in  the 
Legislature  of  Pennsylvania,  full  twenty  Senators,  and 
116  Representatives,  had  Welsh  names.  They  have 
often-times  risen  to  the  position  of  Speaker  of  the 
House.  Men  of  Welsh  blood  have  been  placed  in 
honorable  positions  as  Presidential  electors.  To  the 
Republican  Convention  at  Minneapolis,  1892,  such 
delegates  were  sent  from  twenty-eight  States,  and 
numbered  about  sixty.  At  the  Pennsylvania  State 
Convention  of  the  Prohibitionists,  convened  in  Scran- 
ton,  1892,  were  found  quite  a  number  of  men  of  this 
nationality,  each  one  thoroughly  earnest  and  wide- 
awake. 

At  this  present  time  there  are  several  Governors 
and  Lieutenant  Governors  of  this  blood.  The  Govern- 
or of  Alabama  is  Thos.  C.  Jones ;  Chas.  P.  Jones,  Ad- 
jutant General;  John  C.  Harris,  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction.  The  name  of  the  Governor  of 


348  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Kansas  is  so  changed  that  one  hardly  recognizes  in  it 
that  of  the  last  prince  of  independent  Wales ;  and  yet, 
the  Governor  writes  over  his  own  signature:  "My  fath- 
er's people  were  Welsh,  and  the  name  originally  spelt 
Llewelyn,  and  should  never  have  been  Americanized." 
— L.  D.  Lewelling. 

Of  Welshmen  in  municipal  relations,  but  one  shall 
be  named  here,  that  of  the  Mayor  of  the  Capital  of 
New  York,  the  lamented  Hon.  F.  Humphrey.  Several 
times  did  the  citizens  of  Albany  confer  upon  him  this 
highest  token  of  their  confidence  and  esteem.  His 
contributions  to  benevolent  objects  are  set  down  at 
fully  one  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  city  closed 
its  stores,  and  the  city  government  headea  the  proces- 
sion when  he  was  buried,  just  thirty-nine  years  ago. 

In  Ecclesiastical  matters  the  Welsh  are  trusted 
men;  Dr.  T.  DeWitt  Talmage  in  his  tribute  to  the 
late  C.  H.  Spurgeon  suggested  that  Jonathan  Edwards 
would  be  "among  the  first  whom  he  picks  out  in 
heaven."  Evidently  it  was  believed  that  Edwards  has 
preferment  there,  where  one  star  differeth  from  an- 
other star  in  glory."  As  in  heaven,  so  in  earth,  it 
were  strange  if  the  church,  to  which  so  many  of  the 
elements  which  have  made  her  great  are  traceable, 
should  fail,  within  her  own  jurisdiction,  to  place  in 
honor  her  own  sons.  There  is  no  lack  of  appreciation, 
on  the  part  of  ecclesiastical  bodies,  of  the  nationality 
before  us.  In  every  deno  mi  nation  they  have  risen  to 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  349 

places  of  trust  and  honor.  We  can  afford  room  for 
but  a  few  instances.  In  the  Episcopal  Church,  the 
veteran  and  venerated  John  Williams,  D.  D.,  L.L.  D., 
who  at  75  years  of  age  was  to  have  presided'  at  the 
Triennial  Conference  of  i893,is  Bishop  of  Connecticut. 
Elislia  S.  Thomas  is  Bishop  of  Kansas;  and  me  late 
Bishop  Phillips  Brooks  was  a  very  "prince  among 
his  brethren."  The  honored  Episcopalian  D.  Parker 
Morgan,  D.  D.,  New  York,  is  the  Chaplain  of  Troop 
A,  National  Guards  of  the  Empire  State.  In  tne 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  the  following  have  been 
Bishops:  Robert  E.  Roberts,  i8i<5,  Baltimore  Confer- 
ence; Thomas  A.  Morris,  1836,  Ohio  Conference;  Ed- 
ward Thomas,  1864,  Ohio  Conference;  William  L. 
Harris,  1872,  Michigan  Conference.  In  1868,  the  Right 
Rev.  Benjamin  W.  Morris,  D.  D.,  S.  T.  D.,  became 
Bishop  of  the  Episcopacy  in  Oregon  and  Washington 
Territory.  Since  1880  his  diocese  was  confined  to 
Oregon. 

Rev.  William  Roberts,  New  Jersey,  was  in  1846, 
selected  by  the  Board  of  Bishops  of  the  M.  E.  Church 
as  Superintendent  of  the  Oregon  Missions.  He  was 
President  for  four  years  of  the  Oregon  and  Califomian 
Missionary  Conference,  organized  by  him  in  1819 
He  was  Presiding  Elder  of  the  Portland  District;  for 
over  forty  years  he  wrought  in  the  interest  of  this 
denomination.  Rev.  D.  J.  Morgan,  D.  D.,  whose 
father  had  been  eminent  as  a  Methodist  preacher,  was 


350  Welshmen  as  Factors 

for  forty-three  years  Presiding  Elder,  full  thirty  years 
was  he  a  member  of  the  General  Conference. 

In  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Doctor  Mark  Hopkins 
held  the  office  of  President  of  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions,  during  a  period 
of  thirty-five  years,  and  proved  himself  every  way 
worthy  of  this  important  trust.  In  this  church  may 
be  found  many  illustrious  Welshmen,  not  a  few  of 
whom  have  been  raised  to  honor,  such  as  Rev.  James 
Richards,  D.  D.,  chosen  professor  of  theology,  a  posi- 
tion he  filled  for  years.  Dr.  Sprague  of  Albany 
paid  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  memory  of  this  good  and 
honored  man.  Rev.  Edward  D.  Morris,  D.  D.,  LL.D., 
a  native  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  sat  as  moderator  of  the  Pres- 
byterian General  Assembly,  meeting  at  Cleveland  in 
1875,  thus  enjoying-  the  highest  honor  in  the  gift  of 
the  denomination)  of  which  he  has  been  so  bright  an 
ornament.  This  honor  also  has  been  conferred  on  Dr. 
W.  C.  Roberts,  now  of  New  York,  acting  as  Senior 
Secretary  of  the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Home  Mis- 
sions. "The  New  York  Evangelist"  noticing  this  ap- 
pointment says:  "Here  in  New  York,  he  will  have  a 
hearty  welcome  to  the  position  for  which  he  is  so 
eminently  fitted."  Rev.  Samuel  W.  Williams,  a  native 
of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  was  sent  out  by  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  in 
1833.  1 1*  1853  he  was  interpreter  to  Commodore  Per- 
ry in  Japan,  rendering  most  valuable  service.  Again 
he  assisted  in  negotiating  the  treaty  with  Japan,  1856. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  351 

In  1876  he  lectured  on  the  Chinese  at  Yale  College, 
and  in  1881  became  President  of  the  American  Bible 
Society.  Doctor  W.  H.  Roberts  has  been  honored 
with  the  position  of  Stated  Clerk  of  the  Presbyterian 
Assembly.  On  the  Home  Mission  committee  is  Jas. 
Lewis.  On  the  Board  of  Publications,  Sunday  School 
work,  we  find  Rev.  W.  D.  Roberts,  D.  D.  In  1890-1 
of  the  commissioners  of  the  General  Assembly,  there 
were  eighteen  men  of  Welsh  name,  from  thirteen 
Synods. 

In  the  National  Council  of  the  Congregational 
Churches  of  the  United  States,  for  1889,  Ira  H.  Evans, 
Texas,  was  one  of  the  two  assistant  moderators.  Of 
the  Illinois  General  Congregational  Association  for 
1891,  Rev.  Chas.  L.  Morgan  was  Moderator.  Tiiat 
year,  Rev.  G.  C.  Adams,  St.  Louis,  was  Moderator  of 
the  Missouri  General  Association,  Rev.  Charles  H. 
Phillips,  Moderator  of  North  Dakota  General  Asso- 
ciation, Rev.  Peter  Roberts,  Moderator  of  Pennsylvan- 
ia Congregational  Association.  On  the  list  of  dele- 
gates to  the  Birmingnam  (England)  meeting  of  the 
International  Congregational  Council  held  July,  1891, 
were  the  following  Reverends:  James  Adams,  Chica- 
go, 111.;  John  Edwards,  Allegheny,  Pa.;  W.  E.  Grif- 
fiths, Boston,  Mass.;  Thos.  W.  Jones,  Philadelphia, 
Pa.;  Robert  R.  Meredith,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.;  E.  P.  Wil- 
liams, Chicago,  111.:  William  D.  Williams,  San  Fran- 
cisco, Cal.;  Hon.  D.  Richards,  Newport,  N.  H.  In 


35 2  Welshmen  as  Factors 

1891,  on  the  Board  of  the  American  Congi  egational 
Union  sat  J.  G.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  as  Chairman,  with 
Reverend  E.  S.  Williams,  Sam  Francisco,  as  Field  Sec- 
retary; on  the  Home  Mission  Board,  as  one  of  its  su- 
perintendents, Rev.  G.  J.  Powell,  Chadron,  Neb.;  for 
New  Hampshire  Hon.  L.  D.  Stevens  of  Concord  was 
Treasurer;  on  the  New  West  Education  Commission, 
Reverend  S.  S.  Matthews  was  Eastern  Field  Secretary. 

Rev.  W.  D.  Williams,  D.  D.,  formerly  of  Tulare, 
Cal.,  was  a  delegate  to  the  Congregational  Interna- 
tional Council  held  in  London,  England,  June,  1891. 
The  report  of  the  Congregational  Home  Missionary 
Society  for  1895  shows  that  Rev.  T.  W.  Jones  is  con- 
tinued in  his  valuable  service  as  superintendent  of  a 
district  which  includes  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey, 
Maryland,  District  of  Columbia  and  Virginia.  He  is 
a  native  of  Wales.  As  President  of  the  Michigan  Con- 
gregational Association  we  find  Rev.  W.  H.  Davies, 
D.  D.,  Detroit.  On  the  executive  committee  of  the 
said  society  we  have  Rev.  C.  H.  Richards,  D.  D., 
whose  ancestors  arrived  here  from  Wales  well  nigh 
two  centuries  ago.  This  society  employs  two  thou- 
sand missionaries,  many  of  whom  are  men  of  Welsh 
blood. 

In  the  Baptist  Church,  Benjamin  Griffith,  D.  D., 
was  for  many  years  the  Secretary  of  the  Publication 
Society,  and  Treasurer  of  the  Bible  and  Missionary 
Department.  Alas!  that  so  excellent  a  man  had  not  a 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  353 

lounger  lease  of  life.  He  loved  our  nation.  H.  H. 
Harris  is  President  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Mission 
Board,  John  W.  Jones  its  Assistant  Corresponding 
Secretary;  of  the  "Baptist  Foreign  Mission"  "Com- 
mission of  the  United  States,"  J.  E.  Jones  is  Corres- 
ponding Secretary.  Reverend  John  M.  Davis  was  for 
years  the  faithful  and  efficient  superintendent  of  home 
mission  work  in  the  Central  South.  These  Baptist 
people  have  been  willing  and  glad  to  do  honor  to  Rev. 
J.  H.  Harris,  Ph.  D.,  LL.D.,  whom  they  called  from 
the  principal  ship  of  Keystone  Academy  to  the  Presi- 
dency of  Bucknell  University.  The  wisdom  of  this 
choice  has  been  fully  demonstrated;  the  great  and 
good  man  was  truly  worthy  of  this  trust.  See  portrait 
and  sketch,  appendix  G. 

Among  the  officials  of  "The  Baptist  Young  People's 
Union"  are  and  have  been  Welsh  names  we  delight  to 
honor.  Prof.  J.  M.  Price,  Ph.  D.,  on  the  executive 
committee ;  and  on  the  Board  of  Managers  Revs.  C.  A. 
Reese,  Minnesota,  W.  S.  Roberts,  Vermont,  M.  J. 
Lewis,  South  Dakota.  During  late  years  the  good  and 
the  able  Dr.  E.  E.  Chivers,  a  native  of  Glamorgan- 
shire, South  Wales,  has  served  as  editor  of  the  paper, 
and  Secretary  of  this  important  organization.  When 
the  Prospect  Avenue  Church,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  sought 
a  pastor,  the  committee  said,  "We  want  this  young 
Welshman."  He  served  them  22  years. 

Not  clergymen  only,  but  laymen  also,  have  been 


354  Welshmen  as  Factors 

honored  for  their  work's  sake.  The  late  Uriah  Davies, 
of  Columbus,  Wisconsin,  was  highly  esteemed  as  a 
civil  and  moral  factor;  in  1884  he  was  appointed  a  dele- 
gate to  the  "Presbyterian  Council"  held  in  Belfast, 
Ireland.  William  Daniel,  Esq.,  the  able  lawyer  and 
faithful  Christian,  was  the  esteemed  Treasurer  of  the 
"Educational  Fund"  of  the  Baltimore  Conference, 
Treasurer  and  Secretary  of  the  "Maryland  Fr°e 
School"  and  "Calvin  Institute,"  a  Trustee  of  the  "Cen- 
tenary Biblical  Institute,"  a  manager  of  the  Baltimore 
"Preachers'  Aid  Society."  Thomas  M.  Price,  Esq.,  of 
Philadelphia,  was  for  several  years  Treasurer  of  the 
"Philadelphia  Conference  Missionary  Society,"  and 
has  filled  places  of  trust  in  various  benevolent  organi- 
zations. Baptists  have  held  in  deserved  esteem  tne 
name  and  services  of  Judge  Ira  Harris,  a  native  of 
Montgomery  County,  New  York,  for  a  long  while  he 
held  the  position  of  President  of  the  "American  Bap- 
tist Missionary  Union."  Ihese  items  may  suffice,  as 
samples  of  the  confidence  and  respect  awarded  to  men 
of  Welsh  name. 


LAST    SPAN  OF  OUR    BRIDGE. 


PRESIDENT  HARRISON'S  TERM.— 1888-1893. 

This  span  would  properly  stretch  on  until  an- 
other man  of  Welsh  blood  comes  to  the  White  House. 
Benjamin  Harrison,  the  grandson  of  President  W.  H. 
Harrison,  of  blessed  memory,  was  plleased  to  made 
admission  of  his  descent  from  an  old  Welsh  family 
of  the  Cromwellian  age.  See  "Drych"  July  7,  1892. 
He  held  our  people  in  very  high  esteem,  and  said,  "No 
one  can  say  ought  but  good  of  the  Welsh  nation,  they 
are  among  our  best  citizens." 

It  is  noteworthy,  and  we  note  the  fact,  that  so  many 
men  of  this  nationality  have  arisen  to  the.  honor  of 
being  made  chief  executives  of  this  Republic,  whereas, 
to  the  utmost  of  our  knowledge  but  one  German,. 
Martin  Van  Buren,  the  eighth  President,  gained  this 
honor.  He  was  the  successful  rival  of  Gen.  W.  H. 
Harrison.  President  Harrison  was,  as  Joseph  Cook 
remarked,  ''a  cool  and  shrewd  judge"  in  political 
affairs.  Of  the  Harrison  administration  there  have 
been  high  and  deserved  commendations.  The  Repub- 
lican Convention  at  Minneapolis,  in  1892,  renominat- 
ing  this  grand  man  for  second  term,  put  into  its  plat- 
form the  following:  "We  commend  the  able,  patriotic 
and  thorough  American  administration  of  President 


356  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Harrison.  Under  it  the  country  has  enjoyed  remark- 
able prosperity,  and  the  dignity  and  honor  of  the  na- 
tion at  home  and  abroad  have  been  faithfully  main- 
tained." 

The  message  of  December,  1891,  was  well  received 
and  highly  complimented  as  being,  in  many  respects, 
the  ablest  ever  delivered  in  our  seat  of  government. 

Other  particulars  deserve  attention  ere  we  leave  off 
this  "bridge  building." 

I.  We  must  note  Welsh  factors  in  official  affairs. 

In  the  Government  offices  at  Washington,  under  the 
Harrison  administration,  we  find  men  of  these  names : 
In  the  Treasury  Department,  William  M.  Meredith  of 
Illinois  was  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Engraving  and 
Prinitig,  with  a  salary  of  $4,500;  and  A.  C.  Matthews, 
of  Illinois,  first  Comptroller,  with  a  salary  of  $5,000. 
In  the  Interior  Department  was  Thos.  J.  Morgan, 
Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  with  a  salary  of 
$4,000.  William  T.  Harris,  Commissioner  of  Educa- 
tion, with  a  salary  of  $3,000.  John  W.  Powell,  Direc- 
tor of  Geological  Survey,  with  a  salary  of  $6,000.  In 
the  Supreme  Court,  J.  C.  B.  Davis,  reporter,  with  a 
good  salary.  In  1891,  1892,  on  the  United  States  "Life- 
Saving  Service"  of  the  Third  District,  were  John  S. 
Edwards  and  Jesse  B.  Edwards;  of  the  Fourth  Dis- 
trict, John  T.  Edwards,  Lambert  Edwards,  Chas.  D. 
Stephens;  of  the  Sixth  District,  David  M.  Pugh,  Dun- 
bar  Davis;  of  the  Seventh  District,  Harry  H.  Jenkins; 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  357 

of  the  Ninth  District,  Thomas  Williams;  of  the 
Eleventh  District,  Thomas  E.  Matthews,  William  L. 
Stevens;  of  the  Twelfth  District,  Alfred  T.  Harris.  In 
the  State  Government  we  have  as  Superintendent  of 
Public  Printing  and  Binding,  B.  D.  Evans,  West 
Chester;  Clerk  of  Commonwealth,  John  M.  Harris, 
Scranton. 

In  the  military  service  of  1892,  in  the  department  of 
the  Missouri,  we  have  Major  General  N.  A.  Miles  as 
Commander;  in  the  office  of  Third  Assistant  Postmas- 
ter General,  as  chief  clerk,  is  Madison  Davis.  In  1881 
David  Davis  of  Illinois  was  elected  Vice  President  of 
the  United  States,  and  Levi  P.  Morton  of  New  York 
to  the  same  office  in  1889.  As  Envoys-Extraordinary 
and  ministers  Plenopotentiary  we  find  Robert  Adams, 
Jr.,  Pennsylvania,  for  Brazil;  W.  W.  Thomas,  Jr.,* 
Maine,  for  Sweden  and  Norway.  Last  September  our 
minister  to  Portugal,  Col.  E.  P.  C.  Lewis  of  Hoboken, 
X.  J.,  died. 

In  the  53rd,  the  present  Congress,  there  are  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  eighteen  of  Welsh  name, 
sent  from  ten  States  of  this  Union.  Of  the  United 
States  District  Attorneys  at  this  writing,  there  are  six 
whose  names  indicate  their  Welsh  lineage.  We  could 
have  given  a  long  list  of  "Honorables"  of  this  nation- 
ality in  State  Legislatures,  and  in  United  States  Con- 

*Soon  after  the  Great  Eisteddfod  Mr.  Thomas  was  lecturing  in  Potts- 
ville,  Pa.  We  sought  an  interview,  and  found  this  New-Englander  proud 
to  proclaim  his  Welsh  ancestry,  of  early  date. 


35 8  Welshmen  as  Factors 

gress — a  list  truly  amazing,  well-nigh  incredible,  con- 
sidering the  small  number  of  this  people.  Blaine  thus 
speaks  of  one  of  these:  "No  man  can  listen  to  him" 
(John  P.  Jones,  U.  S.  Senator  from  Nevada)  "without 
being  impressed  by  his  intellectual  power."  Jones  was 
one  of  the  three  members  of  the  Monetary  Commis- 
sion, whose  excellent  report  came  before  Congress 
March  2nd,  1877. 

2.  Welsh  factors  in  educational  matters  once  more. 

All  parties  are  agreed  as  to  the  worth  and  signific- 
ance of  the  public  school  system.  The  national  con- 
ventionis,  and  platforms  of  1892,  were  outspoken  on 
this  subject.  The  Democratic  party  said,  "We  recom- 
mend to  the  several  States  the  most  liberal  appropria- 
tions for  the  public  schools,  free  common  schools  are 
the  nursery  of  good  government.  The  Republican 
party  says,  "They  approve  of  all  agencies  and  instru- 
mentalities which  contribute  to  the  education  of  the 
children  of  the  land."  The  Prohibition  party  said, 
"We  stand  unequivocally  for  the  American  public 
school,  and  are  opposed  to  any  appropriation  of  public 
moneys  for  sectarian  schools."  The  Government  Com- 
missioner of  Education  is  William  T.  Harris.  In  "The 
Chatauquan"  recently,  he  well  argued  for  "National 
Supervision  of  Education."  Dr.  Wickersham  referring 
to  the  Normal  School  at  West  Chester,  says  of  the 
Principal,  George  M.  Phillips,  a  Chester  County  man, 
known  to  be  of  Welsh  descent,  "In  his  hands  the 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  359 

future  success  of  the  schools  is  assured."  Mr.  Phillips 
retains  his  position  to  this  day.  On  the  death  of  Pro- 
fessor F.  A.  Allan,  the  scholarly  professor,  D.  C. 
Thomas,  became  Principal  of  the  Normal  School  at 
Mansfield,  Pa.,  and  the  institution  has  been  very  pros- 
perous. A.  J.  Davis  is  Principal  of  the  Normal  School 
at  Clarion.  Of  the  "Pennsylvania  State  College," 
situated  in  Centre  County,  Chas.  W.  Roberts  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  board. 

About  three  years  ago,  Hon.  Evan  Davis,  Cleve- 
land, O.,  brought  into  the  State  Legislature  a  bill 
which  became  a  law,  touching  the  duties  of  parents 
and  guardians  of  children,  to  give  them  at  least  an 
elementary  education,  "Between  the  ages  of  seven  and 
fourteen."  This  was  compulsory,  for  not  less  than 
twenty  weeks  in  each  year,  "ten  weeks  of  which  should 
be  consecutive,  if  possible."  The  Governor  appointed 
Mr.  Davis  Inspector  of  workshops  in  the  State. 

In  Sparta,  Wis.,  the  Wisconsin  State  Public  School 
for  dependent  and  neglected  children,  is  under  the 
control  and  successful  management  of  Robert  P.  Rob- 
erts and  Mrs.  Roberts.  The  institution  is  both  a  home 
and  a  school.  And  up  to  September,  1888,  over  three 
hundred  children  had  been  educated  here. 

Professor  William  C.  Richards,  Ph.  D.,  is  a  factor 
of  value  in  the  "Centennial  State."  The  mental  and 
moral  advancement,  promoted  by  such  a  man,  is  "bet- 
ter than  the  merchandize  of  silver,"  for  which  Colorado 


360  Welshmen  as  Factors 

stands  foremost  in  this  Republic.  The  Denver  Mint 
sends  forth  the  perishable  only,  and  not  "enduring 
riches,"  such  as  emanate  from  the  neighboring  State 
University  at  Boulder,  or  the  Agricultural  College  at 
Fort  Collins.  Of  the  National  League,  formed  in 
1889,  for  the  protection  of  American  institutions,  Wil- 
liam T.  Morgan  is  Treasurer,  and  D.  D.  Eaton  a  mem- 
ber of  the  law  committee.  As  a  primary  object,  this 
league  aims  "to  secure  constitutional  and  legislative 
safe-guards,  for  the  protection  of  the  common  school 
system."  In  Pennsylvania  we  find  as  County  Super- 
intendents, in  Jefferson  County,  J.  H.  Hughes,  Brook- 
ville;  in  Lackawanna  County,  N.  S.  Davis,  Scranton. 
As  City  and  Borough  Superintendents,  we  might  name 
H.  S.  Jones,  in  Erie;  J.  W.  Phillips  in  Scranton;  Ad- 
disoin  Jones  in  West  Chester.  The  manager  of  the 
Uniontown  School  is  A.  H.  Waters;  of  Whitehall 
School,  T.  I.  Thomas. 

Adding  but  a  few  of  the  many  facts  at  hand,  we 
would  refer  to  the  Murfreesboro  N.  C.  \Vesleyan 
Female  College,  opened  in  1855  with  President  Joseph 
Davis  as  its  leader;  and  to  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  Univer- 
sity, wherein  Dr.  W.  L.  Harris,  late  Bishop  Harris, 
taught  for  ten  years;  and  to  Oberlin  College,  Ohio, 
where  so  many  Welsh  students  have  received  instruc- 
tion from  Welsh  professors;  and  to  Marietta  College, 
O.,  a  favorite  nursery  of  Welsh  brain  and  heart  by 
instructors  of  W'elsh  blood,  where  it  is  designed  to  en- 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  361 

dow  a  Welsh  chair;*  and  to  Gale  College,  established 
in  1852,  of  which  at  this  writing  Rev.  Geo.  Tames 
Jones  is  President.  The  special  claim  of  this  last 
named  institution  is  that  it  offers  the  highest  educa- 
tional advantages  at  lowest  cost. 

Of  other  seats  of  learning  we  omit  even  a  passing 
notice.  As  far  as  related!  toi  our  theme,  not  a  single 
one  of  these  schools  would  we  seem  to  s-liight,  but  our 
limits  forbid  us  to  enlarge. 

3.  Other  Welsh  factors  in  our  "Moral"  development 
must  not  be  forgotteni  We  now  refer  to  the  Welsh 
ministry,  all  over  our  country.  Our  space  admits  only 
a  general  reference  to  these  preachers,  and  to  the  ex- 
cellent work  done  by  them.  In  the  various  denomina- 
tions we  know  many  good  mien,  and  their  good  serv- 
ices; yet  how  little  can  one  man  know  concerning  so 
wide  a  field  as  this  Republic.  Besides,  we  could  not 
make  selections,  without  exposing  ourselves  to  the 
charge  of  being  partial,  even  should  we  escape  the 
more  serious  charge  of  being  bigoted.  The  only 
course  open  to  us  was  to*  name  none,  except  in  some- 
other  relation  than  the  ministerial,  t  Wales  has  aston- 
ished the  world  by  the  number  and  power  of  its 
preachers.  There  is  no  spot  upon  the  globe  so  glor- 
ious in  this  regard.  Here,  as  in  the  Fatherland,  the 

*\Ve  rejoice  to  know  that  Prof.  J.  F.  Jones  and  others  have  this  mat- 
ter well  in  hand.  It  seems  to  receive  general  favor. 

tThe  reader  will  find  still  another  exception  in  our  notice  of  Moral 
Factors  in  the  Four  Cities. 


362  Welshmen  as  Factors 

people  have  believed  that  there  are  no  such  ministers 
as  the  Welsh.  They  have  honored  their  pastors.  Set- 
tlements are  frequently  of  long  continuance.*  "Tes- 
timonials," expressive  of  regard  and  appreciation  have 
been  of  common  occurrence.  The  good  influence  of 
Welsh  pastors  has  been  proverbial.  Alluding  to  the 
Rev.  John  R.  Daniel  of  Cambria,  Wis.,  it  is  written, 
"He  placed  the  neighborhood  of  Penycae  in  such 
eminence  as  will  abide  for  thirteen  centuries." — Syllog. 
A  descendant  of  Rev.  Evan  Hughes,  one  of  "the 
ejected  ministers"  of  1662,  won  for  himself  the  title  of 
"Bishop  of  the  West."  Far  outside  of  Long  Creek, 
Iowa,  his  name  and  fame  are  as  "familiar  as  household 
words."  Not  a  few  are  the  worthy  "Fathers"  of  the 
Welsh  churches  in  the  United1  States  at  this  time,  al- 
though "the  fathers"  do  not  "live  for  ever." 

Again  and  again  have  the  English  pulpits  of  Eng- 
land, Australia,  Canada,  and  the  United  States  been 
enriched  by  the  talents  of  Welsh  preachers. 
4.  The  present  status  of  this  nationality  here : 
"The  New  Englander  by  descent  is  breaking  the  sod 
in  Dakota  and  Montana,  the  States  of  1889,"  and  we 
may  safely  assert  that  the  descendants  of  early  Welsh 
immigrants  are  now  doing  good  service  in  the  upbuild- 
ing  of    this    nation.      They   whose   ancestors    were 

*Of  many  a  Welsh  minister  it  may  be  said  with  truth  and  emphasis: 
"Penwynaist  dan  ei  faner  Ef — 
Cynaliaist  urddaspwlpud  Hedd; 
Fe  garai  tyrfa'th  wel'd  ar  sedd 
Dra  uche'l  yn  y  drydedd  Nef."— Prof.  Apmadoc. 


WILLIAM  APMADOC. 


In  tJie  Development  of  the  Republic.  363 

prominent  "factors  in  the  formation,"  are  valuable 
factors  in  "the  development  of  this  Republic."  "The 
creation  of  a  thousand  forests  is  in  one  acorn"  says 
Emerson.  As  in  the  distant  past  which  was  the  pres- 
ent, and  in  the  present  which  will  be  the  distant  past, 
small  things  grow  to  prodigious  outline  and  produc- 
tiveness. 

In  1871,  the  following  Welshmen  were  actively  en- 
gaged in  prosecuting  Welsh  immigration,  and  the  sale 
of  Western  homes,  for  families  of  this  nationality :  Wil- 
liam B.  Jones  (Ap  P.  A.  Mon),  formerly  of  New  York 
City,  was  land  agent  in  Emporia,  Kansas,  and  sold 
lands  in  Neosho  Settlement.  At  Arvonia,  Osage 
County,  John  Mather  Jones  and  Company  promoted 
the  growth  of  an  important  Welsh  settlement.  Rev. 
D.  E.  Jones,  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  was  agent  for  "mil- 
lions of  acres"  of  land,  and  acted  in  connection  with 
"the  Plymouth  Colony,"  originated  by  "intelligent, 
moral  and  religious  gentlemen."  It  is  known  that 
thousands  of  Welsh  families  were  directed  on  their 
westward  way  by  the  far-famed  Cadwalader  Richards 
of  New  York  City,  as  well  as  by  other  Welsh  immi- 
grant agents  in  the  Empire  City  and  elsewhere.  New 
homes  were  created,  which  blessed  this  Republic. 

In  a  recent  article  by  the  venerable,  Rev.  Erasmus 
W.  Jones,  D.  D.,  on  "The  Future  of  the  Welsh  in  the 
United  States,"  the  author  takes  issue  with  such  as 
prophecy  the  early  demise  of  the  Welsh  language  here. 


364  Welshmen  as  Factors 

It  is  spoken,  by  a  larger  number  of  Welsh  people  on 
this  side  of  the  Atlantic  than  in  Wales  itself;  and  is 
spreading  rapidly  in  the  West. 

Dr.  Talmage  says :  "In  all  departments  of  American 
life,  we  feel  more  and  more  the  influence  of  Welsh  im- 
migration; it  is  good  blood,  and  is  corrective  of  many 
kinds  of  blood  not  so  good."*  There  is  one  prominent 
and  characteristic  feature  of  this  people,  that  whither- 
soever they  go,  they  carry  with  them  their  religious 
peculiarities.  The  Welsh  of  Washington  have  their 
Paradise  Valley,  made  happy  by  the  moral  atmosphere 
of  churches  in  which  the  gospel  is  preached  in  the 
Cymric  language.  In  the  old  Oak  Hill  Settlement, 
Ohio,  we  have  as  many  as  sixteen  Welsh  churches, 
many  of  which  have  given  their  names  to  "the  places 
roundabout,"  e.  g.,  Bethel,  and  Bethania,  and  Bethle- 
hem.; Carme-1,  Sardis,  and  Siloam,  and  Zoar;  Horeb, 
and  Moriah,  and  Nebo,  and  Peniel.  Some  of  the 
Welsh  church  edifices  are  quite  imposing;  e.  g.,  Mil- 
waukee has  a  magnificent  Welsh  Methodist  Church. 
In  this  structure,  but  one  of  the  three  Welsh  Congre- 
gations, are  wont  to  assemble.  The  beginnings  of  this 
church  are  found  in  a  meeting  of  society  held  in  the 
home  of  one  William  Edwards,  on  Water  Street,  as  far 
back  as  1847.  Awhile,  the  church,  now  assembling  in 

*When  Dr.  E.  Pan  Jones  was  here  in  1885  he  visited  ths  Pillsbury 
Flouring  Mills  at  Minneapolis.  The  renowned  proprietor  assured  Mr. 
Jones  that  his  countrymen  were  "a  superior  class  of  •workmen  and  citi- 
zens," and  urged  him  to  "send  over  some  more.'' 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  365 

so  magnificent  a  structure,  were  wont  to  meet  in  a 
carpenter's  shop  on  Huron  Street. 

The  Welsh  Republicans  of  Blue  Earth  County, 
Minn.,  are  now  said  to  poll  full  one-fifth  of  the  entire 
vote.  On  their  ticket  last  faill  ('92)  were  two  excellent 
Welshmen;  for  County  Treasurer  Peter  Lloyd;  for 
District  Attorney,  Byron  Hughes.  The  Welsh  Cal- 
vinistic  Methodists  are  a  powerful  body  in  Minnesota, 
and  such  men  as  Rev.  T.  E.  Hughes,  "a  farmer 
preacher  and  pastor,"  do>  honor  to  this  nationality. 

Even  San  Francisco  has  its  Cambrian  Hall,  and  the 
pastor  of  the  Plymouth  Church  speaks  Welsh  fluently, 
whilst  Rev.  R.  Vaughan  Griffiths  preaches  wholly  in 
Welsh  in  that  city.  In  1861  there  was  a  Welsh  meet- 
ing-house here;  later  Samuel  Williams,  Esq.,  edited  a 
paper  here,  and  here  Prof.  Price  has  won  great  fame. 
Robert  T.  Roberts,  Esq.,  has  been  engaged  in  the 
Mint,  and  William  A.  Jones,  Esq.,  in  the  Custom 
House. 

Two  years  ago,  a  Welsh  Methodist  Association  as- 
sembled in  the  city  of  Omaha,  on  the  west  of  the  Mis- 
souri River.  Missouri  has  its  New  Cambria ;  at  Great 
Falls,  Montana,  this  nationality  is  rapidly  increasing, 
having  a  flourishing  church  and  Sabbath  School.  The 
young  and  gifted  Welsh  architect,  Hugh  G.  Jones,  is 
in  full  employ.  In  Sparks  County,  Nebraska,  there  is 
an  important  Welsh  settlement,  as  also  in  Carroll, 
Wayne  County,  where  are  two  Welsh  churches. 


366  Welshmen  as  Factors 

5.  Welshmen  in.  City  Life,  Past  and  Present. 

In  modern  as  in  ancient  society,  great  cities  have 
much  to  do  with  the  destiny  of  nations.  For  this 
reason  it  seems  both  proper  and  necessary  that  this 
essay  should  have  regard  to  Welsh  factors  in  muni- 
cipal centres.  Four  such  centres,  at  least,  deserve 
consideration:  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Cincinnati 
and  Chicago. 

a.  "The  Empire  City"  recently  become  "Greater 
New  York,"  has  been  blessed  with  not  a  few  men  of 
Cymric  nationality.  A  hundred  years  since  a  Mr.  Ed- 
wards from  Maldwyn,  North  Wales,  purchased  40 
acres  of  Manhattan  Island,  and  later  leased  it  to  the 
City  Government  for  99  years ;  now  this  land  is  worth 
a  million  dollars  an  acre! 

A  complimentary  dinner  was  given  to  one  of  the 
great  and  good  Welshmen  here,  in  1892,  i.  e.,  the  aged 
and  'estimable  Daniel  L.  Jones,  now  deceased.  He 
was  a  native  of  Glamorganshire,  South  Wales.  Hon. 
T.  L.  James,  ex-Judge  Noah  Davis,  and  other  noted 
men  were  present,  and  expressed  their  high  apprecia- 
tion of  the  first  President  of  the  St.  David's  Society  of 
this  city.  He  came  hither  when  but  23  years  of  age. 
For  many  years  he  was  engaged  in  buying  and  selling 
real  estate. 

Another  name  famous  among  meib  Morgamvg  here, 
is  that  of  William  Miles.  This  good  man  has  resided 
here  full  seventy  years,  and  has  a  reputation  for  serv- 


In  tfo  Development  of  the  Republic.  367 

ice  and  sincerity,  for  goodness  and  success,  of  which 
any  person  might  feel  proud.  He  learned  the  trade  of 
tanner  and  currier.  For  six  years  he  was  a  partner 
of  Mr.  Hurley,  later  on  he  was  in  business  for  himself. 
Subsequently  he  originated  the  National  Park  Bank 
and  the  Mercantile  Trust  Co.,  and  a  Savings  Bank. 
He  was  Director  of  Nassau  Bank  and  of  the  Hamilton 
Fire  Insurance  Co.  Mr.  Miles  is  verily  "one  of  the 
best  and  finest  types  of  Americanized  Welshmen." — 
Gen.  T.  L.  James. 

Cadwalader  Golden,  "a  well  known  New  Yorker  of 
Welsh  descent,"  was  an  early  settler  here.  A  fine 
portrait  and  sketch  of  this  great  man  appears  in  "The 
Cosmopolitan"  article.  He  was  appointed  First  Sur- 
veyor General  of  the  lands  o£the  Colony.  In  1720,  he 
had  a  seat  in  the  king's  council.  In  1761  he  was  Lieu- 
tenant Governor  of  New  York,  and  continued  in  that 
office  until  his  death  in  1776.  He  lived  to  a  great  age, 
over  ninety  years.  As  a  civil  and  political  factor  in  our 
early  history  this  man  was  of  very  great  value.  His 
"Botanical  and  Medical  Essays,"  his  "Principles  of 
Action  in  Matter,"  issued  in  1751,  his  "Observations 
on  Climate,"  his  "Discovery  of  the  Mode  of  Stereo- 
typing," introduced  to  the  attention  of  Dr.  Franklin, 
were  proofs  of  his  genuis. 

Dr.  Alexander  Jones,  author  of  the  great  "Address" 
on  "The  Cymry  of  '76,"  was  a  native  of  South  Caro- 
lina, a  graduate  of  Philadelphia.  He  practiced  in  Mis- 


368  Welshmen  as  Factors 

souri,  and  later  served;  the  noted  East  India  Co.  at  a 
salary  of  $5,000  a  year.  Returning  to  this  country  he 
was  called  to  superintend  the  American  Press  Agency, 
and  invented  an  ingenious  Cipher  System  for  the  use 
of  the  Associated  Press.  For  many  years  he  was  com- 
mercial reporter  for  the  New  York  "Herald."  In  1852 
he  published  his  "Historical  Sketch  of  the  Electric 
Telegraph." 

In  the  medical  profession,  Hon.  John  Jones,  a  native 
of  Jamaica,  L.  I.,  distinguished  himself  in  this  city.  In 
1767  he  was  professor  of  surgery  in  the  Medical  Col- 
lege, and  in  1780  was  called  to  serve  in  the  medical 
department  of  the  Revolutionary  Army.  He  was  the 
trusted  friend  and  family  physician  of  both  Franklin 
and  Washington.  His  pupil,  Dr.  Mease,  published  a 
volume  of  the  Doctor's  medical  writings,  in  1795.  We 
have  elsewhere  referred  to  this  country's  indebtedness 
to  the  skill  of  Doctor  Jones  in  saving  the  life  of  our 
first  President. 

Here  Samuel  Jones,  LL.  D.,  son  of  Chief  Justice 
Jones,  was  City  Recorder  in  1823;  in  1828  he  was  Jus- 
tice o-f  the  Superior  Court  here.  Geo.  B.  Reynolds, 
LL.D.,  a  graduate  from  Wesley  an  University,  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  1844,  practiced  in  Poughkeepsie 
and  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  In  i8(5o  he  was  elected  Judge  of 
the  Brooklyn  City  Court,  and  re-elected  in  1872,  for  a 
term  of  fourteen  years. 

Forty-five  years  ago,  the  able  D.  Meredith  Reese 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  369 

was  Superintendent  of  the  Common  Schools  for  the 
City  and  County  of  New  York.  In  1855,  Samuel  S. 
Griffiths  was  elected  a  Trustee  of  the  New  York  Com 
Exchange,  and  was  also  placed  on  its  building  com- 
mittee. 

The  appointment  of  Hon.  E.  H.  Roberts  as  Assist- 
ant Treasurer  of  the  U.  S.  at  New  York  called  forth 
the  full  concurrence  of  Congress,  and  the  commenda- 
tions of  the  New  York  St.  David's  Society.  This 
responsible  post  means  the  oversight  of  fully  four 
score  sub-ordinates,  and  draws  a  salary  of  $8,000  a 
year. 

Well  known  is  the  recent  position  of  our  ex-Post- 
master General.  Another  James  holds  a  high  office 
under  the  New  York  Central  R.  R.  Co.  in  this  city. 

In  the  legal  profession,  so  honored  by  the  ex-Judge 
N.  Davis,  we  have  men  of  note,  but  we  content  our- 
selves with  naming  but  one,  a  recent  accession  from 
Wales,  M.  Owen  Roberts,  a  son  of  Rev.  Morris  Rob- 
erts, Pwllheli.  In  1890  he  graduated  as  LL.B.,  and  ere 
he  became  24  years  old  he  was  licensed  Attorney  and 
Counselor.  He  is  a  Christian  gentleman,  a  deacon, 
and  a  Sunday  School  superintendent  at  the  Welsh  C. 
M.  Church. 

A  distinguished  citizen,  a  thorough  patriot,  and  a 
great  patron  of  everything  Welsh  was  the  deceased 
John  W.  Griffith,  a  member  of  Dr.  W.  M.  Taylor's 
church.  He  was  a  devout,  intelligent  and  active  Chris- 


370  Welshmen  as  Factors 

tian.  He  came  from  Wales  in  1823.  His  steamship 
model  in  the  Exhibition  of  1850,  London,  attracted 
much  attention,  and  won  high  praise.  In  1858  he  was 
appointed  special  naval  constructor  to  the  Govern- 
ment. He  invented  the  timber  bending  machine,  for 
shipping  purposes,  in  1864,  and  improved  on  the  same 
in  1871.  In  1882,  he  edited  "The  American  Ship- 
builder," New  York  City.  He  was  the  author  of 
several  works,  and  his  treatise  on  "Naval  Architec- 
ture" got  to  a  fourth  edition. 

Here  Welshmen  have  been  famous  as  journalists. 
In  1856,  J.  W.  Griffith  became  co-editor  of  the  "Nau- 
tical Magazine  and  Naval  Journal."  A  great  writer  is 
our  Richard  Harding  Davis,  editor  of  "Harper's 
Weekly."  Many  people  have  wondered  why  William 
D.  Howells  is  deserting  "The  Harper's"  for  "The 
Cosmopolitan."  The  answer  is  that  with  the  latter  he 
gets  a  yearly  salary  of  $17,500.  Famed  was  the  late 
Jones  of  the  "Daily  Times"  and  John  W.  Pritchard  of 
the  "Christian  Nation."  Hughes  edited  "Guide  to 
Holiness;"  David  Williams  "The  Iron  Age,"  also 
"Metal  Worker;"  F.  J.  and  I.  Davis  "Knights  of 
Pythias  Reporter;"  A.  M.  Howell  "The  Philanthrop- 
ist;" Phillips,  with  Hunt,  "Sunday  School  Advocate;" 
Jones  Publishing  Company,  "Bankers  and  Merchants' 
Journal."  In  Brooklyn,  E.  H.  Bowen,  the  "Island 
Record;"  Alexander  Lewis  and  E.  Humphries  "Re- 
cord and  Messenger."  A  son  of  Ap  P.  A.  Mon  is  con- 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  371 

nected  with  "Scribner's  Magazine."  Fred  Evans,  Jr., 
soo  of  Rev.  F.  Evans,  D.  D.,  served  on  the  "New  York 
Tribune"  staff  for  several  years,  and  later  edited  the 
"Newark  Daily  Advertiser."  He  is  now  private  sec- 
retary of  Vice  President  Hobart.  The  enterprising  J. 
M.  Jones  started  "Y  Drych"  in  this  city  in  1851. 

The  widely  known  bard  of  Gelligaer,  the  erudite 
Welshman  Aneurin  Jones,  Esq.,  has  for  years  held  the 
responsible  position'  of  Superintendent  of  New  York 
Public  Parks.  The  famous  Commisioner,  S.  H. 
Wales  and  others  have  given  him  high  encomiums.  As 
artificer  and  architect  Mr.  Jones  has  an  excellent  rep- 
utation. 

The  moral  factors,  in  such  a  city,  are  of  great  sig- 
nificance. As  early  as  1795,  Wales  gave  to  New  York 
Rev.  John  Williams,  for  many  years  pastor  of  the  Bap- 
tist Church.  At  first  he  preached  Welsh,  but  later,  for 
27  years,  he  adorned  the  Oliver  Street  pulpit.  This, 
man  of  Garn  Dolbenmaen  was  the  father  of  the  great- 
er man,  Dr.  William  R.  Williams,  born  in  this  city, 
and  for  forty  years  pastor  of  Amity  Street  Church. 
His  power  and  influence  in  the  city  proved  a  benedic- 
tion of  incalculable  value.  Again  and  again  did  he  re- 
fuse to  accept  a  professorship,  so  learned  and  capable 
was  he;  but  his  delight  was  to  "preach  the  word."  A 
high  culture  with  a  low  voice,  unfitted  him  for  preach- 
ing to  the  masses,  but  he  molded  men  who  became 
sources  of  great  power,  and  his  sons  have  "come  to 


372 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


honor,"  one  a  Christian  lawyer,  another  a  worthy  pas- 
tor. Often  has  the  regret  been  expressed  that  he  gave 
so  little,  comparatively,  to  the  press.  His  writings 
have  stood  in  the  foremost  rank  for  literary  merit  and 
moral  worth. 

In  1806  Rev.  John  Stevens  from  South  Wales, 
preached  Welsh  here,  and  Joseph  W.  Griffiths  is 
credited  with  having  started  a  Sabbath  School  here  as 
early  as  179.1.  It  was  gathered  in  a  room  at  No.  88 
Division  Street. 

Of  thie  able  Welsh  ministers  who  have,  from  time  to 
time,  served  the  Welsh  churches  here  very  much 
might  be  written.  Special  mention  should  be  made  of 
Rev.  W.  Rowlands,  D.  D.,  who  in  1838  established  the 
useful  monthly  called  "Y  Cyfaill."  He  was,  indeed,  a 
master  of  assemblies,  as  the  Welsh  volume  of  "Lec- 
tures on  the  Prodigal  Son"  most  clearly  proves.  This 
work  was  issued  in  1860. 

Other  famous  preachers  were  here  in  years  less 
remote.  The  popular  Dr.  Fred  Evans,  the  able  Philip 
L.  Davies,  purely  Welsh.  In  Brooklyn  there  was  the 
marvellous  and  the  princely  H.  Ward  Beecher.  It 
may  surprise  some  of  our  readers  to>  learn  that  the 
renowned  Dr.  Theodore  L.  Cuyler  claims  that  his 
"'ancestors  on  both  sides  the  house  were  Welsh  to  the 
backbone."  Rev.  Dr.  Parker  Morgan  is  said  to  be  of 
the  Roger  Williams  stock.  What  wonders  have  been 
wrought  by  his  agency  in  the  Church  of  the  Heavenly 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  373 

Rest.  He  holds  annually  a  Welsh  service  here  in  the 
interest  of  the  New  York  St.  David's  Society.  Such 
are  his  business  gifts  that  he  has  been  offered  a  salary 
of  $6,000  to  become  a  Bank  President.  The  lamented 
Rev.  John  Evans  was  pastor  of  Herkimer  Street 
Church,  Brooklyn,  ere  he  took  up  with  the  Welsh 
Church  in  New  York.  Since  1888  Rev.  John  Elwy 
Lloyd  has  acceptably  served  the  Reformed  Church 
on  Twelfth  Street,  Brooklyn. 

Among  the  noble  Welshmen  in  the  Empire  City  was 
the  esteemed' contractor,  Lewis  H.  Williams,  deceased. 
He  was  a  soin^in-law  of  the  excellent  Deacom  Jones. 
The  spring  in  which  he  died,  at  the  early  age  of  forty- 
two,  his  contracts  amounted  to  over  one  million  dol- 
lars. He  employed  about  two  hundred  men;  with  him 
they  were  "workmen,"  not  mere  "hands."  A  grand 
moral  factor  was  this  son  of  Gwalia.  It  was  no  un- 
common thing  for  him  to  s-eize  an  occasion,  while 
directing  his  business,  for  a  few  minutes  personal  re- 
ligious conversation  with  these  workmen;  many  of 
them  had  been  led  to  a  Christian  faith  by  this  interest 
in  their  well-being. 

Another  man  of  note,  more  recently  removed,  was 
Robert  Lewis,  a  ruling  elder  of  the  Welsh  Presbyte- 
rian Church.  He  was  Director  of  the  "American 
Bible  Society,"  he  was  a  member  of  the  "Society  for 
the  Suppression  of  Vice,"  and  of  the  'New  York 
Museum'  of  Art,"  and  of  the  "Evangelical  Alliance;" 


374  Welshmen  as  Factors 

of  the  St.  David's  Society,  and  of  the  Presbyterian 
Council.  His  life  was  a  success,  his  example  a  bene- 
diction. 

b.  Philadelphia.  Here  the  Welsh  are  held  in  high 
esteem!,  and  hither  have  they  gathered  age  after  age. 
In  mercantile  calling  and  business  circles,  Welsh 
names  are  found  by  hundreds  upon  hundreds;  over 
one  hundred  Joneses,  and  nearly  an  equal  number  of 
Williamses  and  Davises.  The  Robertses  and  Morris- 
ses  and  Thomases  run  up  into  the  scores.  Lovers  of 
Welsh  literature  and  song  delight  to  meet  in  the 
Lewar's  Hall,  Ninth  and  Spring  Garden.  In  1871, 
lorthryni  Gwynedd  claimed  for  this  city  hundreds  if 
not  thousands  of  Welshmen  and  descendants  thereof. 
This  is  more  true  to-day  than  ever  before. 

James  Jones  Levick,  M.  D.,  in  a  meeting  of  the 
Welsh  Society,  some  years  ago,  said,  "No  nationality 
has  so  stamped  its  impress  on  the  character  of  Phila- 
delphia." 

In  the  "eighties"  the  then  acting  President  Cleve- 
land spoke  at  a  banquet  given  by  the  learned  societies 
of  Philadelphia.  There  were  present  a  large  number 
of  distinguishing  men  bearing  Welsh  names.  Among 
other  things  the  President  said,  "The  people  of  Phila- 
delphia should,  of  all  our  citizens,  be  the  most  imbued 
witn  the  sentiments  of  the  broadest  patriotism,  be- 
cause they  are  brought  nearest  to  the  events  and 
scenes  which  mark  the  birth  of  American  institutions." 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  375 

He  also  remarked,  "The  colossal  William  Perm's 
statue  in  bronze,  which  is  to  crown  the  tower  of  the 
public  buildings  on  Broad  Street,  forms  a  fitting  tri- 
bute to  the  estimable  services  and  advanced  principles 
of  that  Welshman." 

We  have  called  attention  to  many  Welshmen  and 
their  work  in  this  city.  In  the  first  assembly  held 
here  Dr.  Thomas  Wynn  was  elected  Speaker.  Dr. 
Edward  Jones  was  another  physician  of  early  times, 
famous  as  a  leading  politician.  The  late  Hon.  Eli  K. 
Price  was  one  of  Philadelphia's  wisest  counsellors; 
and  Dr.  Geo.  Smith,  who  wrote  the  able  "History  of 
Deleware  County,"  was  a  descendant  of  Henry  Ap 
Lewis.  Howard  Ap  Jenkin  has  written  the  "History 
of  Gwynedd." 

For  many  years  Dr.  Thomas  Hugh  Walter  had  been 
recognized  as  a  fine  mathematician  and  architect;  his 
design,  for  the  famous  Girard  College,  was  adopted  in 
1833.  He  planned  this  magnificent  structure  from  the 
beginning  to  the  completion  thereof  in  1847.  It  took 
fourteen  years  in  building,  and  had  accommodations 
for  about  one  thousand  boys.  In  1851,  Dr.  Walter  was 
appointed  by  President  Filmore,  as  architect  for  an 
important  extension  of  the  United  States  Capitol  at 
Washington;  he  planned  and  executed  the  iron  dome, 
which  crowns  the  building.  His  genius  is  immortal- 
ized in  the  extention  of  the  General  Post  Office  also, 
and  the  new7  Treasury  Buildings;  and  moreover,  in  the 


376  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Marine  Barracks  of  Brooklyn  and  Pensacola,  and  the 
Government  Hospital  for  the  Insane.  In  1860  he  de- 
livered a  course  of  lectures  on  "Architecture,"  for  the 
Columbian  College  in  Washington.  He  once  held  a 
professorship  in  Franklin  Insititute,  and  was  a  mem- 
ber of  that  institution  for  full  half  a  century.  His 
genius  and  learning  were  consecrated  and  Christian. 

A  great-grandson  of  Edward  Edwards,  who  came 
hither  with  William  Perm,  E.  B.  Edwards,  Esq.,  was, 
in  1859,  elected  Treasurer  of  Girard  College  R.  R.  Co. 
The  year  following  he  was  chosen  President,  contin- 
uing in  that  office  for  over  thirty  years. 

In  1881,  Mr.  GwilymGeo.  Davis,  M.  D.,  a  grandson 
of  Rev.  D.  Davis,  Castell  Howell,  was  resident  physi- 
cian at  the  Pennsylvania  Hospital;  later  he  became 
fellow  and  member  of  the  "College  of  Physicians. " 
The  Doctor  is  in  "The  American  Medical  Association" 
and  other  organizations  of  his  profession. 

The  renown  of  the  late  President  of  the  P.  R.  R.  is 
proverbial.  Hon.  T.  L.  James'  encomium  in  the  "Cos- 
mopolitan" article  was  not  overdrawn.  Of  Mr.  Rob- 
erts it  was  stated  in  the  Philadelphia  "Press"  that  he 
stood  "As  a  railroad  manager  and  President  without  a 
superior  in  this  country."  We  have  already  stated  his 
Welsh  descent. 

Among  "the  honored  dead"  of  late  years  are  these : 
Hon.  H.  Gates  Jones  and  Rev.  B.  Griffith,  D.  D. 
Senator  Jones  had  served  three  terms  in  Harrisburg. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  377 

He  was  a  princely  man,  an  active  Christian,  a  philan- 
thropist, and  a  St.  David's  President  of  pronounced 
thoroughness.  He  was  a  lawyer  of  great  repute,  and 
also  an  author  and  historian  of  note.  Of  the  great  Dr. 
Griffith  a  suitable  memoir  has  been  issued  by  the 
"Baptist  Publication  Society,"  of  which  he  had  been 
so  long  the  able  Secretary.  We  refer  our  readers  to 
that  work,  for  the  record  of  this  wonderful  man  of 
Welsh  descent.  -Dr.  A.  J.  Rowlands  is  the  successor 
of  Dr.  Griffith,  and  he  too  is  of  the  nationality  of 
which  we  write.  There  are  few  names  in  Pennsylvania 
more  highly  revered  than  that  of  Dr.  W.  Shadrach, 
who  died  in  September,  1890,  "full  of  years,  of  labor,  of 
honor."  He  was  a  native  of  South  Wales,  and  came 
hither  when  a  lad  of  15  only.  He  was  a  devoted  friend 
of  ministerial  education. 

The  third  rolling  and  nail-mill  in  Manayunk,  Phila- 
delphia, was  erected  by  Mark  Edwards  in  1819.  Six 
years  later  Geo.  Lewis  in  partnership  with  R.  Leonard 
built  the  Dowlais  Works  in  Kensington.  This  city, 
so  famous  in  early  times,  has  well  retained  the  reputa- 
tion to  which  Oliver  Evans,  and  others,  gave  so  good 
a  start.  The  Port  Richmond  Iron  Works  owned  by 
J.  P.  Morris,  Town  &  Co.,  in  1864,  employed  four 
hundred  hands,  and  had  about  half  a  million  dollars  in 
invested  capital.  Dr.  Bishop  observes  that  the  monu- 
ments of  this  firm's  engineering  skill  are  "found  in  all 
parts  of  the  country."  At  this  Port  Richmond  Iron 


378  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Works  of  J.  P.  Morris  &  Co.,  were  constructed  the 
large  engines  of  the  United  States  Mint*  in  this  city, 
and  die  powerful  pumping  engine  at  the  Schuylkill 
Water  Works. 

Mr.  F.  R.  Phillips  of  200  Walnut  Place,  Philadel- 
phia, is  the  honored  recipient  of  a  Government  con- 
tract to  furnish  the  mints  of  the  United  States  with 
mills  for  rolling  silver  strips  for  stamping  into  coins. 
The  authorities  in  placing  this  contract  compliment 
Mr.  Phillips  by  stating,  "The  Lart  mill  was  the  finest 
they  ever  got,  and  pronounce  it  absolutely  perfect." 
Previous  to  this,  the  great  Krupp  of  Germany  was  the 
only  party  who  succeeded  "in  supplying  our  Govern- 
ment, with  satisfaction." 

For  eleven  years  Rev.  B.  D.  Thomas,  D.  D.,  now  of 
Toronto,  Canada,  ministered  to  the  Fifth  Church ;  for 
seven  years  Dr.  F.  Evans  was  pastor  of  Tenth  Church ; 
for  more  than  a  score  of  years  has  Dr.  G.  Evans  Rees 
wrought  with  and  for  the  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church. 
These  three  were  brought  up  in  Wales.  Rev.  W.  H. 
Roberts,  P.  D.,  LL.D.,  has  done  a  great  work  in  the 
Presbyterian  denomination  here.  We  make  reference 
elsewhere  to  the  Doctor's  excellent  service  in  Lane 
Seminary.  Another  Presbyterian  Welshman,  Rev.  R. 
T.  Jones,  D.  D.,  of  the  Susquehanna  Avenue  Church, 
has  been  a  remarkably  successful  factor  in  Philadel- 

*  A  trusted  man  of  Welsh  blood  has  served  the  Republic  in  this  U.  S. 
Mint  for  fully  fifty  years.  He  is  a  relative  of  Dr.  A.  J.  Rowlands  ;  his 
name  is  Albert  Rowlands. 


In  tJie  Development  of  the  Republic.  379 

phia.    To  his  credit  be  it  recorded  that  from  the  mines 
he  was  called  to  the  ministry  of  the  word. 

"Moral"  factors  have  been  famous  here,  and  that 
among  various,  denominations.  Here  met  the  first 
American  Presbytery,  even  earlier  than  the  Baptist 
Association;  "the  mother  Presbytery"  was  formed  in 
1705.  The  newly  published  volume  from  the  pen  of 
Rev.  G.  P.  Hayes,  D.  D.,  LL.D.,  has  an  interesting 
item  in  the  line  of  our  present  investigation.  In  1713, 
this  Presbytery  received  a  letter  from  Rev.  Thomas 
Reynolds,  promising  thirty  pounds  to  aid  and  support 
needy  ministers,  thus  commencing  a  Home  Mission- 
ary Society.  Of  the  six  who  met  in  the  First  Pres- 
bytery, three  were  men  of  Welsh  name,  Jones,  Powell, 
Morgan.  It  was  fitting,  that  in  this  home  of  the  moth- 
er should  be  gathered  the  joint-Presbyterian  Assembly, 
in  1870.  On  the  joint-committee  for  preparation  was 
the  Rev.  Z.  M.  Humphreys,  D.  D.  If  the  name  of 
Rev.  Absolom  Peters,  D.  D.,  was  prominent  in  the 
"Disruption,"  that  of  Rev.  William  Adams,  D.  D., 
LL.D.,  was  yet  more  prominent  in  the  "Re-union."  It 
is  the  fashion  of  this  nationality  to  be  true  to  convic- 
tion, and  determined  in  their  advocacy  of  what  they 
believe  to  be  the  right.  Most  grandly  did  Dr.  Adams 
stand  by  the  re-union  movement;  advocating  it  in  the 
never-to-be-forgotten  speech,  before  the  Assembly  of 
1869.  To  the  Synod  came  a  message  from  the  Welsh 
Calvinistic  Association,  then  in  session  at  Newark,  O., 


38o  Welshmen  as  Factors 

congratulating  it  on  the  possible  re-union  of  the  body. 
This  was  signed  by  the  Moderator,  E.  P.  Evans,  and 
the  Secretary,  Daniel  Harris. 

The  first  Methodist  Conference  ever  assembled  in 
this  country  met  here  July,  1773.  Of  the  men  of 
Welsh  name  eminent  in  Methodism  are  Amos  Phillips, 
the  patron  and  friend  of  the  M.  E.  "Home  for  the 
Aged,"  and  Rev.  Samuel  Thomas,  who  whilst  Presid- 
ing Elder  of  the  South  Philadelphia  District,  moved  in 
securing  the  new  edifice  of  "The  Tract  Society  and 
Book  Concern'  on  Arch  Street,  a  needed  ana  valuable 
movement. 

c.  Cincinnati.  "The  Queen  City,"  in  1795,  was  but 
a  village  of  log  cabins.  Ezekiel  Hughes,  writing  in 
1796,  thus  describes  it:  "Fort  Washington,  now  Cin- 
cinnati, may  be  as  large  as  Machynlleth,"  a  town  in 
Wales  of  about  eight  hundred  inhabitants.  This 
Welshman  purchased  upwards  of  1,000  acres  of  choice 
lands,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cleves.  Hughes  built  here  a 
log  cabin,  and  cleared  a  patch  for  a  garden.  His  near- 
est neighbor  on  the  one  side  was  two  miles,  and  on  the 
other  side  five  miles  distant.  There  were  hereabout  no 
religious  services  in  that  day.  Columbia  was  in  1803 
about  six  miles  from  Cincinnati,  now  it  is  within  the 
city  limits.  It  is  famed  for  having  organized  the  first 
church,  of  any  denomination,  in  Ohio;  and  that  was 
formed  in  1790,  at  the  house  of  Benjamin  Davis.  Rev. 
Wm.  Jones  was  pastor  of  a  Baptist  Church  here  in 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  381 

1805.  When  Dr.  Chidlaw's  father-in-law,  E.  Hughes, 
first  visited  the  place,  k  was  a  rude  Indian  village. 
Paddy's  Run,  Butler  County,  was,  early  as  1796,  or 
1798,  inhabited]  by  the  following  Welshmen:  Ezekiel 
Hughes,  Edward  Bebb,  David  Francis,  Morgan  Gwil- 
ym  and  William  Gwilym,*  John  Vaughan  and  Morris 
Jones.  These  were  immigrants  from  North  and  South 
Wales.  They  were  miles  away  from  each  other,  but 
met  at  stated  times  for  religious  service.  It  was  not 
until  1817,  when  Rev.  Reese  Lloyd  came  hither  from 
Ebensburg,  Pa.,  that  Welsh  was  preached  and  a  log 
chapel  was  put  up,  about  the  centre  of  the  settlement. 
Mr.  Lloyd  was  a  Congregationalist.  A  few  years  later, 
Rev.  Thomas  Thomas  of  London  settled  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. In  1818  there  were  additional  immigrations 
from  Wales  to  this  place.  A  brick  church  was  built  in 
1824,  in  which  Mr.  Thomas  spoke  in  English,  and  Mr. 
Lloyd  in  Welsh. 

Turning  to  business  circles,  we  might  refer  to  such 
men  as  William  Powell,  of  brass  foundry  fame;  C.  D. 
Evans  of  the  Mantel  and  Grate  Company,  employing 
fifty  or  more  men;  Geo.  E.  Stevens,  the  great  publish- 
ing house  on  West  Fourth  Street;  A.  C.  Richards,  now 
''the  pioneer  of  the  furnishing  business"  of  Cincinnati; 

*  Of  this  person  it  is  stated  that  he  purchased  land— Congress  land,  as 
early  as  i8o2,'and  began  the  first  Welsh  settlement  west  of  the  Alleghenies. 
Here  was  a  teacher,  of  note  in  those  times,  named  Evan  Davies.  In  1827  a 
Sabboth  School  was  commenced  and  became  a  great  blessing  to  this 
community.  About  1810  David  Jones,  who  came  from  Wales  to  Liver- 
pool, and  thence,  with  Mr.  E.  Hughes  on  his  return  in  1803,  to  this 
country,  left  Ohio  and  went  forth  to  preach  as  an  Evangelist  in  Kentucky, 
Virginia  and  Pennsylvania. 


382  Welshmen  as  Factors 

and  Charles  W.  Rowland,  an  extensive  manufacturer, 
and  an  influential  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 

The  great  and  prosperous  city  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Ohio  River,  and  her  sister  city  on  the  south  side, 
Covington,  Ky.,  are  now  linked  together  by  a  grand 
bridge.  For  half  a  century  or  more,  Welshmen  had 
been  attracted  by  the  iron  industries  of  these  cities. 

Jesse  L.  Williams,  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  came 
with  his  parents  to  this  city.  At  17  he  joined  a  party 
surveying  on  the  proposed  Miami  and  Erie  Canal;  he 
became  assistant  engineer,  and,  in  1832,  the  chief  en- 
gineer of  the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal.  Later  he  was 
engineering  railroad  works.  In  1864-9  ne  was  govern- 
ment inspector  of  the  Union  Pacific  R.  R.  construc- 
tion, and  in  1871-2  chief  engineer  of  the  Cincinnati, 
Richmond  and  Fort  Wayne  R.  R. 

David  Paul  Davies,  born  here  in  1859,  of  Welsh 
parentage,  was  appointed  to  the  service  of  the  railway 
mail.  When  but  twenty-two  years  of  age,  he  was 
made  Superintendent  at  Cincinnati,  and  in  July,  1884, 
made  Chief  Clerk.  He  ranked  next  to  Superintendent 
of  the  Division  of  the  Railway  Mail  Service,  which 
comprises  the  States  of  Ohio,  Indiana,  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  and  has  under  him  a  force  of  nine  hundred 
clerks.  Mr.  Davies  is  a  member  of  the  Welsh  Calvin- 
istic  Methodist  Church,  and  has  been  so  since  he  was 
twelve  years  of  age.  Senator  Stanley  Matthews  secured 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  383 

for  him  this  high  position,  which  Mr.  Davies  has  so 
well  filled 

Mr.  Samuel  Williams,  a  Permsylvanian,  has  lived  in 
Cincinnati  for  over  thirty  years.  In  his  calling  as 
Surveyor  General  of  the  Southwest,  he  has  well  served 
his  country.  The  Government  surveys  in  Ohio,  in 
Indiana,  in  Michigan,  in  Wisconsin,  and  in  Iowa,  were 
planned  and  conducted  by  Mr.  Williams.  He  was  a 
devout  Christian,  and  a  man  of  great  literary  attain- 
ments withal,  and  wielded  a  powerful  pen. 

In  various  callings,  and  in  sundry  positions  of  trust, 
may  be  seen  these  Welshmen. 

A  Vale  of  Neath,  South  Wales  man  is  now  the  sole 
proprietor  of  the  fine  rope  and  twine  plant,  formerly 
operated  by  Dreman  &  Bowen.  Mr.  B.  has  been  for 
years  the  leader  of  the  Cincinnati  Welsh  Choral  So- 
ciety. 

Mr.  Walter  Phillips  is  president  of  the  Eagle  Litho- 
graphing Co.  here.  As  stair-builders  Evans  &  Co. 
have  been  doing  a  flourishing  business.  We  might 
name  other  men  of  note. 

Last  July,  at  the  National  Convention  of  the  Retail 
Furniture  Dealens  of  America,  held  in  this  city,  Hon. 
David  Davis  made  a  speech  on  "Ancient  and  modern 
furniture,"  which  was  published,  with  a  portrait  of  the 
speaker,  in  the  periodical  known  as  the  "Furniture 
Worker." 

The  Hughes'  High  School,  on  Fifth  Street,  owes  its 


384  Welshmen  as  Factors 

name  to  Thos.  Hughes,  who  by  his  last  will,  dated  De- 
cember, 1826,  left  his  property  for  this  purpose.  It  is 
a  part  of  the  public  school  system  of  the  city.  It  was 
not  built  until  1853.  It  cost  $23,375;  hundreds  of 
pupils  attend  at  one  time.  In  1875,  they  numbered  /\/\/\. 

In  1838,  Hon.  Geo.  F.  Davis,  a  native  of  Brighton, 
Mass.,  whose  father  was  instrumental  in  forming  the 
First  Baptist  Church  in  Quincy,  Illinois,  came  to  Cin- 
cinnati. He  served  as  President  of  the  First  Board  of 
Aldermen  in  this  city,  and  has  been  several  times 
President  of  its  Chamber  of  Commerce.  Often  has 
he  represented  the  city  on  important  public  occasions. 
He  has  presided  at  Sunday  School  Conventions,  and 
has  served  on  various  official  boards.  He  was  one  of 
the  projectors  and  patrons  of  the  "Mount  Auburn 
Institute"  for  young  ladies,  and  has  been  a  most  valued 
trustee  of  Denison  University.  His  five  sons  are 
located  in  this  city,  and  are  important  factors  in  civil, 
political  and  moral  lines. 

Dr.  John  Davis,  a  native  of  New  London,  O.,  whose 
parents  came  from  Wales,  studied  in  Woodward  Col- 
lege in  this  city,  and  again  in  the  Ohio  Medical  Col- 
lege. In  1852  he  was  instrumental  in  founding  the 
Miami  Medical  College  at  Cincinnati,  in  which  he  was 
for  many  years  Professor,  and  of  which  he  was  until 
his  death  a  Trustee.  For  about  thirty  years,  the  Doc- 
tor was  on  the  Cincinnati  Hospital  staff,  and  for  two 
years  during  the  war  he  was  medical  officer  in  charge 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  385 

of  the  Government  Marine  Hospital  in  this  city.  On 
the  Board  of  the  University  of  Cincinnati,  the  City 
Board  of  Education,  and  the  State  Board  of  Charities 
he  has  well  served.  He  was  President  of  the  City  Law 
and  Order  League,  and  materially  aided  sobriety  and 
morality.  In  1881  he  was  chosen  President  of  the 
Union  Central  Life  Insurance  Association,  of  which 
he  was  an  organizer,  and  a  medical  director.  He  died 
in  January,  1890;  few  men  were  in-  higher  esteem  in 
this  city.  As  a  Christian  he  brought  honor  to  the 
M.  E.  Church,  of  which  he  was  a  member. 

In  1888,  being  the  Centennial  of  the  Queen  City,  the 
Welsh  utilized  the  opportunity  for  forming  a  society 
known  as  the  "Cambro- American  Society  of  Cincin- 
nati." Attorney  W.  H.  Jones  was  its  first  president; 
Henry  Price  and  James  Hughes,  David  Davis,  and 
Professor  David  Davis  were  pledged  patrons.  The 
venerable  Chidlaw  was  present,  and  spoke.  Edward 
Edwards  was  chosen  Recording  Secretary;  C.  H.  Wil- 
liams, Financial  Secretary;  and  Robert  Roberts, 
Treasurer.  The  society  meets  semi-monthly  and  some 
of  the  most  prominent  Welsh  Americans  in  the  city 
are  leading  spirits  therein.  It  has  done  much  to  be- 
friend the  friendless,  and  to  aid  the  needy.  An  able 
musician,  and  fine  tenor,  Professor  David  Davis,  was 
Director  of  the  Cincinnati  Welsh  Choral  Society. 

Of  the  renowned  firm  in  the  legal  profession,  Stover 
&  Gwynne,  it  is  affirmed  that  they  are  "two  of  the 


386  Welshmen  as  Factors 

most  honorable  and  able  lawyers  in  Ohio."  Mr.  Hugh 
Pugh  is  also  famous  in  this  profession.  Nor  should 
we  fail  to  refer  to  other  three,  if  no  more :  W.  H.  Jones, 
D.  Humphreys  and  D.  Davies.  Of  medical  men,  as 
"factors"  in  Cincinnati,  there  are  several;  but  their 
names  are  not  at  hand. 

In  journalism  we  might  name  the  following:  For 
years  Rev.  Ezra  Owens  was  editor  of  the  "Messen- 
ger," since  merged  in  the  Ohio  Baptist  State  paper,  the 
"Journal  and  Messenger."  The  very  renowned  writer, 
novelist,  W.  Dean  Howells,  a  native  of  Ohio,  was  first 
a  printer  with  his  father  here,  and  became  editor  of 
"The  Cincinnati  Gazette,"  and  of  "The  Ohio  State 
Journal."  In  later  years  he  edited  "The  Atlantic 
Monthly;"  then  on  the  staff  of  "Harper's  Magazine" 
he  won  great  renown. 

Here  is  the  seat  of  the  reno<wned  institution  called 
Lane  Seminary.  As  early  as  1830,  Dr.  Lymart 
Beecher,  of  Welsh  blood,  was  called  from  Boston  to 
take  a  Professorship  here.  In  1832  he  was  installed 
pastor  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church.  Welsh- 
men have  done  good  service  in  and  through  this 
Theological  School.  Thomas  E.  Thomas,  D.  D.,  was 
Professor  of  New  Testament  Literature,  from  1871  un- 
til his  death  in  1875  and  Z.  M.  Humphrey,  D.  D.,  was 
Professor  of  Church  History  from  1875  until  death 
removed  him  in  1881.  In  1886  the  Rev.  William  H. 
Roberts,  D.  D.,  LL.D.,  was  here,  called  from  Prince- 


In  tJie  Development  of  the  Republic.  387 

ton.  He  was  a  son  of  the  famous  Dr.  William  Rob- 
erts, New  York  City,  and  a  native  of  Wales.  Having 
wrought  in  this  institution  faithfully  and  for  many 
years,  he  removed  to  Philadelphia.  See  our  notice  of 
factors  in  that  city. 

Cincinnati  had  a  grand  accession  to  its  Welsh  citi- 
zens and  factors  when  the  late  Rev.  LI.  J.  Evans, 
D.  D.,  LLD.,  settled  there.  He  came  in  1857,  and  was 
there  about  thirty-five  years.  April,  1893,  the  Welsh 
people  held  a  farewell  meeting  to  express  their  re- 
gret at  the  Doctor's  decision  to  accept  the  position 
offered  him  in  Bala  College,  North  Wales.  For  years 
his  scholarly  and  Christian  worth  had  been  appreciated 
in  the  city  and  the  Seminary.  Again,  the  Rev.  Ed- 
ward Dafydd  Morris,  D.  D.,  LL.D.,  who,  half  a  cen- 
tury since  was  in  the  Congregational  Welsh  Sabbath 
School  in  Utica,  New  York,  has  occupied  the  chair 
of  Church  History  in  Lane  Seminary.  Dr.  Morris 
has  written  several  good  books,  and  the  eulogy  he 
pronounced  on  Dr.  Evans  was  exceeding  fine.  Dr. 
Morris  served  as  President  of  Lane  Seminary  for 
thirty  years;  he  recently  retired. 

Among  the  "moral"  factors  here,  were  not  a  few 
Welshmen  and  men  of  Welsh  descent.  Dr.  A.  J.  Row- 
land, a  native  of  Montgomery  County,  Pa.,  was  pas- 
tor of  the  Mount  Auburn  Church  and  President  of  the 
"Institute,"  a  seminary  of  high  grade  for  women.  The 
Doctor  received  his  D.  D.  from  his  Alma  Mater, 


388  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Bucknell  University,  Pa.  He  studied  theology  at 
Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Here  the  four  Welsh  denominations  have  exercised 
a  vigorous  and  healthful  moral  influence.  Of  the 
Harrison  Street  Baptist  Church,  the  essayist  was  pas- 
tor in  "the  fifties."  He  was  succeeded  by  pastors  J. 
Edred  Jones  and  James  Davies.  Rev.  J.  T.  Morgan 
{Thalamus)  was  ordained  here  in  1867.  We  recall 
many  a  season  of  profitable  fellowship  and  co-opera- 
tion in  Christian  work,  with  Reverends  Powell  and 
Davies  and  Ellis.  The  name  of  the  Rev.  Edward  Jones 
has  long  continued  beautiful  and  fragrant  here.  In 
1889  Rev.  J.  H.  Griffiths  came  here  from  Wales  to  take 
charge  of  the  strong  M.  C.  Church  on  College  Street. 
Rev.  D.  Jones,  D.  D.,  was  pastor  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church,  to  which  the  well  known  "Edwards, 
Pittsburg,"  had  formerly  ministered. 

d.  The  "Garden  City,"  now  known  as  the  "World's 
Fair  City,"  affords  a  somewhat  remarkable  record  of 
Welshmen  as  factors.  We  note  but  a  few  of  these.  In 
the  War  of  1812,  Fort  Dearborn  surrendered,  and 
eighteen  years  later  the  town  was  "laid  out,  which  has 
developed  into  one  of  the  foremost  of  American  cities. 
In  1817,  Evansville  was  laid  out  by  Robert  M.  Evans, 
a  year  before  Illinois  became  a  State. 

In  1839,  tne  family  of  Jos.  Lewis  came  from  Swan- 
sea, South  Wales,  and  visited  the  then  bustling  town  at 
the  southern  extremity  of  Lake  Michigan,  called 


In  th-e  Development  of  the  Republic.  389 

"Chicago."  This  family  settled  in  West  Northfield, 
Cook  County,  Illinois,  where  was  born  the  famous 
Captain  E.  R.  Lewis,  a  noble  soldier  in  our  Civil  War, 
and  still  President  of  the  "Chicago  Union  Veteran 
Club,"  whose  membership  exceeds  two  thousand  men. 
He  was  the  organizer  and  President  of  the  American 
Bohemian  Singing  Associations.  The  Captain  is  a 
man  of  honor,  scholarly,  and  of  a  spotless  character. 
His  services  in  the  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry  during  the 
Wilderness  conflict  with  the  foe  cost  him,  sadly  broken 
down  health,  for  a  season.  Recovering  from  this,  he 
joined  the  5ist  Illinois  Volunteers.  Thrice  was  he 
wounded.  He  has  taken  a  very  deep  interest  in  Bo- 
hemian Americans,  and  is  held  in  deserved  esteem. 

According  to  Dr.  Harris'  estimate,  there  are  more 
Welsh  people  in  Chicago,  than  in  the  whole  of  the  Em- 
pire State.  The  "Drych"  recently  estimated  them  at 
twelve  thousand,  possible  one-fourth  of  these  were 
born  in  Wales.  Men  of  this  nationality  have  been 
found  in  important  positions  as  business  men,  and  as 
educators,  e.  g.,  W.  H.  Jones,  a  native  of  Llanllyfni, 
North  Wales. 

Dr.  X.  S.  Davis  has  been  for  ten  years  editor  of  the 
"Chicago  Medical  Journal."  In  1880,  he  was  Pro- 
fessor of  the  principles  and  practice  of  medicine  in  the 
Chicago  Medical  College.  His  Clinical  lectures  have 
been  published,  in  several  volumes;  and  his  work  on 
"The  History  of  Medical  Education"  is  highly  es- 


390  Welshmen  as  Factors 

teemed.  He  has  also  published  a  work  on  agriculture. 
The  Doctor  is  an  earnest  member  of  the  M.  E.  Church. 
Hon.  John  Evans,  once  Governor  of  Colorado,  is  an- 
other Methodist  famous  in  his  relation  to  the  Medical 
College  of  this  Empire  City  of  thie  West.  He  took 
part  in  the  founding  of  the  "Northwestern  University" 
located  in  a  place  named  after  him,  Evanston,  Cook 
County,  a  suburb  of  Chicago. 

Dr.  Arthur  Edwards  was  for  many  years  editor  of 
.the  "Northwestern  and  Christian  Advocate,"  and  the 
Rev.  W.  M.  Lawrence,  D.  D.,  has  been  a  felt  power. 
Hon.  R.  S.  Thomas  was  chosen  President  of  the 
Board  of  Management,  when  the  Chicago  Baptist 
Union  Theological  Seminary  was  started  in  1863. 
Rev.  T.  J.  Morgan  was,  in-  1874,  induced  to  leave  his 
position  as  President  of  the  State  Normal  School  of 
Nebraska,  and  accept  the  chair  of  Homiletics  here. 
In  1879  ne  was  transferred  to  the  chair  of  Church 
History,  two  years  after  the  removal  of  the  Seminary 
to  Morgan  Park. 

Many  missed  and  mourned  the  able  Dr.  William  C. 
Richards;  for  sixteen  years  had  he  been  a  choice  flower 
in  this  "Garden  City."  Professor  Richards  was  widely 
known,  as  editor,  author,  lecturer  and  instructor;  full 
well  did  he  serve  his  generation  ere  he  fell  asleep.  In 
the  Episcopal  Church,  the  editor  of  "Illustrated 
Church  Bells,"  Rev.  T.  C.  Thomas,  is  a  clergyman  of 
note.  Still  more  so  is  the  Rev.  John  Wynne  Jones,  a 


/;/  tJie  Development  of  the  Republic.  391 

popular  preacher,  and  a  thorough  Welshman.  He 
loveth  our  nation  none  the  less,  for  that  he  officiates  in 
a  Cathedral.  This  gentleman  undertook  the  task  of 
placing  a  monument  to  the  memory  of  the  renowned 
Goromvy  Owen  in  this  Cathedral.  Dr.  Z.  M.  Hum- 
phrey was  pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  of 
this  city  for  about  nine  years,  1859-68;  when  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  met  here  in  1871,  he  sat  as  Moderator. 
The  Third  Baptist  Church  had  for  six  years  the  Rev. 
Jesse  B.  Thomas  for  their  pastor,  and  again  F.  M. 
Ellis.  Of  University  Place  the  Rev.  A.  Owen  was  pas- 
tor. There  are,  at  this  time,  men  of  Welsh  name  in 
the  Baptist  ministry  here;  at  the  Olivet  Church  Rev.  J. 
F.  Thomas;  at  the  Second  Church,  Rev.  W.  M.  Law- 
rence, D.  D.;  at  La  Salle  Avenue,  Rev.  H.  O.  Row- 
lands, D.  D. 

In  the  spring  of  1839  Thomas  E.  Lewis,  later  known 
as  a  successful  land  agent,  came  to  Brookville,  Cook 
Co.,  111.  He  was  a  native  of  Glamorganshire,  South 
Wales.  This  gentleman,  now  numbered  with  the  dead, 
soon  made  for  himself  a  great  name,  and  widespread 
fame.  In  1891  he  built  his  fine  and  palacial  residence 
at  Wheaton.  Mr.  Lewis  took  interest,  not  alone  in  the 
sale  of  lands ;  he  was  a  patron  of  higher  education,  and 
believed  in  mental  culture.  One  of  his  daughters  pre- 
sides over  Belle  Plains'  School.  This  lady  superin- 
tended the  Model  School  in  the  World's  Fair  exhibit. 
In  the  forties  Mr.  Lewis  worked  for  S.  Lloyd,  who 


392  Welshmen  as  Factors 

owned  the  only  lumber  yard  in  Chicago  at  that  time. 
Later  o<n  he  possessed  valuable  lands,  in  Garden  City 
and  Hyde  Park,  and,  for  some  time,  had  his  home  at 
Englewood. 

There  is  in  this  city  a  flourishing  Ivorite  Society, 
with  Griffith  Jones  as  President.  Chicago  rejoices  in 
masters  o<f  song,  such  as  Profs.  J.  P.  Jones,  W.  Rich- 
ards, D.  Prosser,  W.  Apmadoc,  W.  E.  Powell,  the 
eagle-like  (Gwilym  Eryri).  Recently  the  revered  pas- 
tor of  Hebron  W.  C.  M.  Church  resigned,  having  held 
his  position,  with  credit  to  himself  and  his  denomina- 
tion, for  seventeen  years.  Im  the  other  Welsh  church- 
es we  have  Revs.  Ellis  Roberts,  Bismark  Davies,  O.  F. 
Pugh  and  "Trogwy"  Evans.*  In  the  English  pulpits, 
added  to  those  already  named,  we  find  Revs.  D.  Ellis 
Evans,  Congregational ;  G.  W.  James,  Congregational ;. 
T.  Corey  Thomas,  Episcopal;  and  Arthur  L.  Williams, 
Christ  Church,  and  Jenkin  Lloyd  Jones,  All  Soul's 
Church.  Chicago  has  the  following  on  its  editorial 
staff:  "American  Contractor,"  B.  Edwards;  "Chron- 
icle," D.  L.  and  L.  L.  Davis;  "Fire  and  Hammer,"  W. 
T.  Ellis;  "Free  Methodist,"  Rev.  B.  T.  Roberts; 
"Home  Visitor,"  B.  D.  Moody;  "Journal  of  Mechan- 
ism," C.  H.  Jones;  "Journal  of  American  Medical  As- 
sociation," W.  S.  Davis;  "Lumber  Trade  Journal,"  S. 
B.  Morgan;  Our  Rest,  and  Signs  of  the  Times,"  C.  H. 

*Rev.  Evans  is  the  author  of  a  large  and  able  Welsh  work  on   "The 
Revelations  of  'Revelation.'  " 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  393 

Jones;  "Railway  Conductor's  Monthy,"  Wm.  P.  Dan- 
iels; "Western  Printer,"  C.  H.  Jones.  W.  Morris  is 
mining  and  consulting  engineer,  and  the  author  of 
several  recently  published  mining  maps. 

Prof.  Ira  M.  Price  of  the  "Chicago  University"  is  a 
\Yelshman  of  note.  To  the  "Biblical  Literature"  page 
of  the  B.  Y.  P.  U.  organ  he  is  a  regular  weekly  con- 
tributor. This  paper  has  the  able  President  of  the 
great  organization,  Rev.  E.  E.  Olivers,  D.  D.,  for 
editor,  and  "The  Union"  has  a  larger  circulation  than 
any  Baptist  paper  in  the  whole  world.  Mr.  Olivers 
is  a  Glamorganshire  man,  educated  first  at  Ponty- 
pool  College,  and  afterwards  at  Regent's  Park  College, 
London.  For  years  he  served  otn  the  Trustee  Board  of 
Colgate  University,  Hamilton,  N.  Y.  When  the  B.  Y. 
P.  U.  held  its  rally,  10,000  strong,  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  we 
wonder  not  that  so  many  good  words  were  spoken 
concerning  the  President,  for  during  many  years  he 
had  served  most  acceptably  one  of  the  churches  of 
that  city. 

To  Chicago  were  given  the  closing  years  of  the 
grand  and  beautiful  life  of  Rev.  L.  Meredith  (Lewis 
Glyn  Dyfi),  who  so  adorned  the  pulpit  of  the  Welsh 
Wesleyan  Church.  His  strength  of  intellect  was  too 

much  for  his  feeble  body,  and  in  1891  this  poet-preach- 
er passed  into  the  better  life.* 

"The  author  placed  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Meredith  a  Welsh  essay  on 
"Cyfalaf  a  Llafur,"  i.  e.  "Capital  and  Labor."  We  felt  not  a  little  proud 
of  being  pronounced  victor  over  ten  fellow-competitors,  and  that  the 
adjudicator  was  none  other  than  "Lewis  Glyn  Dyfi." 


394  Welshmen  as  Factors 

From  the  Baptist  ministry  of  this  city,  but  since  the 
^World's  Fair,  Rev.  D.  T.  Phillips  was  appointed  to  the 
Consulate  of  Cardiff,  South  Wales. 

Where  there  are  so  many  thousands  of  Welsh  peo- 
ple there  is  opportunity  for  assisting  those  in  need  of 
aid.  E.  L.  Roberts,  Esq.,  is  an  efficient  member  of 
the  Philanthropic  (Elusengar)  Society  of  Chicago,  and 
prominent  in  religious  as  well  as  social  matters.  Last 
year  this  organization  held  its  45th  Anniversary.  Hon. 
Rich.  P.  Evans  presiding.  Its  treasury  had  a  surplus 

of  $833.39. 

The  "Cymrodorion  Cenedlaethol"  Society,  thus  de- 
fines its  object:  "To  promote  the  study  of  Welsh 
literature,  music  and  art,  and  to  encourage  Celtic  fel- 
lowship and  scholarship."  In  its  membership  of  about 
one  hundred,  were  found  influential  and  enthusiastic 
Welsh  Americans.  This  organization  must  have  in  it 
men  of  nerve,  and  of  resources,  or  they  would  never 
have  assumed  so  gigantic  an  undertaking  as  this  Eis- 
teddfod. The  President  of  the  Board  of  Directors  is 
Honorable  Samuel  Job;  the  First  Vice  President,  R. 
Jones,  Esq. ;  the  Second  Vice  President,  W.  H.  Phil- 
lips, Esq.;  with  D.  V.  Samuel,  Attorney;  Prof.  Wil- 
liam Apmadoc,  General  Secretary;  D.  C.  Harris,  Fin- 
ancial Secretary;  and  Evan  Lloyd,  Esq.,  Treasurer. 
Evan  G.  Lloyd  was  Recording  Secretary,  and  E. 
Thomas,  Secretary  for  Great  Britain.  This  Eistedd- 
fod will  be  among  the  most  remarkable  in  the  an- 
nals of  a  venerable  and  renowned  institution.  Its 


In  tJw  Development  of  the  Republic.  395 

President,  Hon.  S.  Job,  is  a  thorough  Welshman,  the 
General  Superintendent  of  Pullman  Iron  and  Steel 
Works. 

We  place  on  record  certain  facts  concerning  factors 
in  the  World's  Fair  Eisteddfod,  gathered  from  the 
"Souvenir  Programme,"  1893.  Several  committees 
\vere  chosen,  of  which  we  name  the  chairmen.  On 
Prose,  Rev.  W.  C.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  LL.D.;  on  Poetry, 
John  P.  Jomes ;  on  Art,  W.  Wynne  Jones ;  on  Finance, 
R.  W.  Owen.  There  were  also  committees  on  print- 
ing, on  donations,  on  transportation,  on  public  com- 
fort. With  their  President,  Mrs.  D.  R.  Jones,  cer- 
tain ladies  wrought  wisely  and  well.  The  renowned 
"Three  E.'s"— Rev.  F.  Evans,  D.  D.,  Rev.  T.  C.  Ed- 
wards, D.  D.,  and  Hon.  H.  M.  Edwards — were  the 
appointed  Conductors.*  These  four  were  adjudicators 
of  music,  Professors  Tomlins  and  Courtney,  Doctors 
Mason  and  Gower.  The  Chief  Chaired  Bard  of  Wales, 
Rev.  R.  Williams  (Hwfa  Mon)  was  special  delegate  of 
the  Bardic  Circle  of  Great  Britain,  and  Chairman  of 
the  Board  of  Adjudicators  on  Poetry.  Of  the  Board 
of  Directors,  S.  Job  was  President;  with  Lewis,  and 
Powell  and  Jones  as  Vice  Presidents.  Of  Executive 
Officers,  W.  Apmadoc  was  General  Secretary  and 
prime  mover  in  this  memorable  Eisteddfod.  The 
famed  harpist  to  her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  John 

*These  gentlemen  were  known  to  possess  a  happy  and  uncommon 
combination  of  talent,  not  only  as  conductors,  but  as  adjudicators.  At 
different  times  and  places,  and  on  separate  themes  the  author  of  this  es- 
say has  passed  under  their  adjudications;  and  from  each  of  these  has  be 
received  the  appointed  prizes. 


396  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Thomas  (Pencerdd  Gwalia),  was  present,  and  in  the 
second  day's  concert,  September  6th,  his  great  dram- 
atic cantata  "Llewelyn,"  was  performed.  The  prizes 
offered  and  pledged  to  worthy  contestants  aggregated 
fully  $12,000.  Of  this  amount  a  large  proportion  was 
donated  by  patrons  of  the  enterprise.  Surely  this  was 
what  Matthew  Arnold  called  the  Welsh  Eisteddfod  "A 
kind  of  Olympic  meeting." 

The  sessions  continued'  for  four  entire  days,  growing 
in  interest  each  succeeding  day.  One  of  the  untiring 
workers,  Mr.  John  Ed\vards,  was  given  a  "Testimonial 
Reception"  at  the  Clifton  House,  Chicago.  He  was 
chairman  of  the  committee  on  public  comfort. 

Of  the  number  of  Honorables  of  this  nationality, 
existing  at  this  time,  some  idea  may  be  gained  from 
the  printed  list  of  honorary  members  of  the  "National 
Cymrodorion  Society"  in  Chicago,  even  twenty-five  in 
all.  One  of  these,  Hon.  David  Richards  of  Knoxville, 
Tenn.,  from  the  time  we  knew  him  at  Danville,  Pa., 
over  forty  years  ago,  has  climbed  upward  with  steady 
step,  and  excelsior  is  scarcely  possible  for  him. 

Col.  or  Hon.  George  R.  Davis  was  General  Man- 
ager of  the  World's  Fair.  He  acted  as  Master  of 
Ceremonies  last  October  at  the  opening  of  the  Colum- 
bian Exhibition;  Gen.  M.  A.  Miles  was  Grand  Mar- 
shall Major;  and  Dr.  P.  D.  Morgan,  Captain  of  Troop 
A,  New  York  Military.  As  State  Commissioners  of 
this  great  enterprise,  there  are  fifteen  or  more  of  Welsh 
name. 


APPENDICES. 


App.  A.    Welshmen  and  Welsh  Names. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  trace  the  Welsh  line, 
otherwise  than  by  following  Welsh  names.  Some 
names  are  more  easily  traced  than  others ;  for  example, 
Bo  wen  (ab  Owain)  and  Price  (ap  Rhys),  and  Be  van 
(ab  Evan),  and  Powell  (ap  Howell),  and  Parry  (ap 
Harri),  and  Pritchard  (ap  Ritsiart).  These  have  no 
terminal  s,  for  son,  as  in  Williams,  Edwards,  etc.,  the 
ab  or  ap  here  answering  to  the  s.  These  are  distinct- 
ively Welsh;  even  as  the  Mc's  are  Scottish,  and  the 
O's  descendants  of  Irishmen. 

Of  names  purely  Welsh,  Evan  or  leuan,  the  Welsh 
for  Young;  Owen  is  of  a  fair  one,  or  O-wain  from  a 
sheath;  Mered-ydd  means  a  stupid  one.  Morris  is 
from  Morus,  or  Mor-ydd,  and  means  a  seaman.  Over 
three  centuries  B.  C,  a  Welsh  prince  bore  the  name 
of  Morydd  or  Morris  ab  Danws.  One  of  the  most  re- 
nowned of  the  old  Welsh  bards  was  Lewis  Morris, 
Esq.  The  Morrisons  are  largely  of  this  nationality. 
Lloyd,  that  is  Llwyd,  is  a  purely  Welsh  name,  and 


398  Welshmen  as  Factors 

means  Blessed;  see  the  old  Welsh  poets,  who  speak 
of  the  Blessed  God,  "y  Durvv  Llwyd;"  "The  Blessed 
Mary"  is  "Y  Fan  Lwyd."  Griff  is  an  old  word  for 
"lord,"  hence  Griffydd  a  lordly  one.  Another  Welsh 
synonimO'US  with  "lord"  is  Gwaladr,  hence  Cadwaladr 
lord  of  the  battle. 

Some  names  were  introduced,  probably,  in  the  time 
of  the  Roman  invasion,  e.  g.,  the  name  Ferris  or  Fer- 
rens  derived  from  iron.  An  intimate  friend  volun- 
teered the  information!  that  his  ancestors,  of  this  name, 
came  from  Wales,  and  that  their  "family  tree"  had  its 
root  in  the  Principality.  The  Welsh  word  for  extreme 
cold  is  ffcr,  and  the  name  may  be  derived  from  that 
word. 

The  other  day  one  Bellis  insisted  that  his  name 
was  not  f.ro>m  the  Latin  word  for  war,  but  was  formed 
after  the  analogy  of  Bow  en  and  Bevan,  and  was  ab 
Ellis,  equal  to  Elias;  the  name  of  its  renowned  Welsh 
preacher,  Rev.  John  Elias.  Miles  may,  or  may  not, 
be  the  Latin  mil-es,  a  soldier. 

Welsh  people  here,  as  in  Wales,  have  clung  to  a  few 
names  with  surprising  tenacity,  as  e.  g.,  Philip 
Thomas,  and  Thomas  Philip,  and  Thomas  Thomas, 
and  Philip  Philips,  David  Jones  and  John  Davis, 
and  David  Davis,  and  Jon  n  Jones ;  Matthew  James  and 
James  Matthews,  and  Matthew  Matthews,  and  James 
James.  These  it  will  be  seen  are  of  scriptural  origin. 
Then  there  are  purely  Welsh  names,  Evan  Morris,  and 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  399 

Morris  Evans,  and  Morris  Morris,  and  Evan  Evans; 
Owen  Meredith,  and  Meredith  Owen,  and  Meredith 
Meredith,  and  Owen  Owens,  and  so  on,  ad  infinitum. 

In  the  ''Mirror"  (Drych)  were  given  90  names, 
copied  from  the  mailing  list,  not  one  of  which  would 
suggest  a  Welsh  origin;  and  yet,  these  were  all, 
presumably,  of  this  nationality.  The  editor  observed 
that  this  list  might  have  been-  enlarged.  We  know  of 
about  40  more  equally  foreign  names,  held  by  Welsh- 
men of  our  own  acquaintance.  As  to  the  names  given 
in  this  essay  as  really  Welsh,  we  have  borne  in  mind 
these  two  facts:  First,  that  this  people  went  over  to 
England  in  large  numbers  and  at  various  times,  and 
came  thence  to  settle  in  tins  country.  Second,  that 
Welshmen  have  not  always  been  careful  to  preserve 
the  record  of  their  nationality.  Unlike  the  late  Hon. 
H.  G.  Jones,  of  Philadelphia,  a*nd  Dr.  J.  J.  Levick, 
some  lack  all  pride  of  ancestry,  and  feel  no  desire  to 
trace  their  Welsh  lineage. 

Hon.  T.  L.  James  well  observes  in  his  "Cosmopo- 
litan" article:  "The  Welsh  have  commingled  so  much 
with  the  American  people,  that  it  is  very  difficult  to 
obtain  information  with  regard  to  them."  This  fact 
makes  it  all  the  more  needful  that  such  a  subject  as  the 
one  now  in  hand  should  have  the  more  diligent  study, 
especially  by  Welshmen.  They  are  naturally  the  cus- 
todians and  advocates  of  such  historic  lore. 


4Oo 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


App.  B.    Ancient  Leges  Walaciac. 

The  late  Judge  Powell  published  in  1882  his  elabor- 
ate "History  of  the  Ancient  Britons  and  Their  De- 
scendants."   The  following  quotations  are  made  from 
Book  ist,  Chapter  4  of  that  work:  "It  is  astonishing 
to  what  degree  of  minuteness  and  refinement  the  laws 
for  regulating  the  Government,  and  the  administration 
of  justice  were  carried  in  the  Triads.    *     *          It  ap- 
pears from  an  examination,  of  the  Triads,  that  the 
limits  of  the  Government,  and  the  rights  and  liberties 
of  the  people  were  fixed  and  established  by  general 
maxims  and  principles  as  constituted  law;  so  that,  not 
only  were  the  rulers  constrained  by  them,  but  even 
the  general  assembly  itself  was  controlled  by  its  re- 
strictions in  favor  of  freedom,  and  to  secure  to  every 
person  his  life,  limbs,  property,  and  the  pursuit  of  his 
lawful  business,  very  much  in  the  same  way  as  is  done 
by  a  bill  of  rights."    Mr.  Powell  quotes  from  the  third 
volume  of  Lord  Chief  Justice  Coke's  Report,  that 
"The  original  laws  of  this  land,"  Britain,  "were  com- 
posed of  such  elements  as  Brutus  first  selected  from 
the  ancient  Greek  and  Trojan  institutes."    This  refer- 
ence to  Brutus  and  Troy  was  made,  because  the  Brit- 
ons universally  claimed  that  their  institutions  origin- 
ated with  Brutus,  who  brought  them  with  him  from 
Troy  ami  Greece.     The  Law  Triads,  "Triads  of  the 
Law,"  and  of  the  "Social  State,"  were  collected  and 
formulated,  is  is  believed,     by     Dyfnwal    Moelmud, 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  401 

about  three  centuries  before  Christ.  Two  revisions 
are  said  to  have  been  made,  one  by  Brennus,  the  Bles- 
sed, Bran  Fendigaid,  the  father  of  Caractacus;  the 
other  by  Howell  the  Good — Howell  Dda.  Judge 
Powell  writes,  "We  are  surprised  to  find  so  many  per- 
sonal, civil  and  political  rights  so  effectually  secured, 
as  inviolable  rights,  in  exact  conformity  with  the  more 
advanced  enactments  for  the  protection  of  human  hap- 
piness and  freedom  in  our  own  day." 

Referring  to  Wales,  Ruskin  writes  thus,  "My  res- 
pect for  its  ancient  and  heroic  nationality  is,  indeed, 
limitless." 

App.  C.    Welsh  Pleading. 

When  in  1815,  a  lengthy  and  heated  discussion 
took  place  in  the  House  of  Representatives,  touching 
the  Government  Public  Buildings  in  Washington,  a 
member  from  the  South,  the  Honorable  James  Lewis, 
Jr.,  of  Virginia,  took  a  firm  stand  against  the  removal 
of  the  public  offices,  and  said:  "I  hope  the  House  will 
not  concurr  in  the  amendment  made  by  a  committee 
of  the  whole.  *  *  *  We  have  not  only  the  opin- 
ion of  that  illustrious  man,  Washington,  as  to  the  most 
proper  sites  for  the  public  offices,  but  we  have  evi- 
dence that  ought  to*  satisfy  the  most  incredulous,  that 
he  actually  came  upon  the  ground  and  marked  the 
very  spots  upon  which  the  buildings  were  to  be  placed. 


4O2  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Sir,  what  that  man  has  done,  let  no  mortal 
attempt  to  undo!  His  ways  are  not  to  be  mended  by 
man.  This  House  is  not  competent  to  do  it.  I  con- 
sider the  two  public  edifices  the  foundation  stones  of 
which  our  ever-to>-be  revered  hero,  statesman,  and 
patriot  laid,  as  permanently  fixed  by  public  faith.  *  * 
*  Do  not  by  this  act  ruin  thousands  of  honest,  in- 
dustrious mechanics,  who  have  at  very  advanced 
prices  purchased  and  improved  lots  near  the  present 

sites  under  an  assurance  and  firm  belief  of  their  per- 

i 

manency.  *  *  *  It  has  been  shown,  I  hope  satisfac- 
torily, that,  their  appropriate  place  is  near  the  Presi- 
dent's house,  and  not  the  Capitol.  The  President 
must  necessarily  have  considerable  intercourse  with 
the  officers ;  but  I  am  unable  to  see  the  necessity  of  any 
personal  intercourse  between  the  members  of  the 
Legislature  and  the  officers."  (  For  full  report  see 
"Debates  of  Thirteenth  Congress.") 

App.  D.    The  Welsh  in  Coal  Industry. 

Coal  operators  in  Pennsylvania:  Ashland,  Vaughan 
&  Phillips;  Brady,  John  Bowen;  Bridgeport,  T.  and 
B.  Thomas;  Broad  Mountain,  J.  H.  Davis  and  J.  R. 
Davis;  Coal  Valley,  Thomas  Jenkins  &  Bros.;  Con- 
ner, Jacob  Thomas;  Dudley,  R.  H.  Powell  &  Co.;  Ed- 
wardsdale,  Edwards  &  Co.;  Elklick,  Thomas  Williams, 
also  Thomas  Reese;  Frostburgh,  C.  R.  B.  Morris; 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  403 

Hunlock,  Hughes  and  Company;  Hooversville,  P.  E. 
Phillips;  Houtsdale,  R.  ri.  Powell  &  Company;  Mans- 
field Valley,  Jones  &  Scott;  Mahanoy  Plane,  Law- 
rence &  Brown;  Minersville,  J.  A.  Lawrence,  also 
Jones  Brothers;  New  Castle,  Davis  Brothers;  Mon- 
ongahela  City,  James  Jones;  Neshannock,  Phillips 
Coal  Company;  New  Bedford,  Chas.  Williams;  Pat- 
terson's Mills,  W.  Evans;  Benin's  Run,  W.  A.  Evans; 
Phillipsburg,  Williams,  Morris  &  Co. ;  Pottsville,  Wil- 
liams &  Co.,  and  another  Scranton.  Company;  Pitts- 
burg,  J.  M.  Jenkins  &  Company,  also  J.  T.  Jones,  also 
S.  Roberts  &  Company,  also  W.  W.  Williams  &  Com- 
pany; Shoustown,  Thomas  Jones;  Sugar  Notch,  A.  J. 
Davis,  also  Roberts  &  Company;  Sunny  side,  Robert 
Jenkins;  Swiers,  J.  H.  Davis  &  Company;  Ten  Mile 
Bottom,  Joseph  Williams;  Webster;  Jones  &  Menk; 
Westmoreland  County  Colliery,  Alfred  H.  Hum- 
phreys, W.  C.  Richards  and  Mr.  Williams ;  Zollersville, 
Joseph  Davis,  also  Davis  &  Son.  Thus  many  indie- 
pendent  collieries  are  owned  by  and  operated  by  men 
of  Welsh  name,  notwithstanding  the  large  companies 
that  monopolize  the  coal  trade  of  Pennsylvania. 

App.  E.    Postal  Service  Records. 

The  Post  Offices  of  Pennsylvania,  in  as  many  as 
thirty-eight  of  the  counties,  bear  names  which  remind 
us  of  persons  and  places  that  are  Welsh.  Some  coun- 


404  Welshmen  as  Factors 

ties  show  several  such  post  offices.  In  Montgomery 
County  thiere  are  seventeen;  several  counties  bear 
names  thus  significant  and  suggestive.  In  many  of 
the  older  States,  and  in  several  of  the  newer  States 
of  the  Republic,  these  Cymric  foot-prints  are  trace- 
able. We  could  make  a  truly  remarkable  show  of 
such  "footprints."  It  is  not  improbable  that  these 
places  may  have  been  named  after  others  in  this  coun- 
try, from  which  immigration  had  set  out;  but  there 
was  a  reason  for  giving  the  name  at  first,  from  a  per- 
son or  place ;  and  so  there  was  a  reason  why  some  per- 
son or  persons  favored  the  transfer  of  the  name.  It  is 
not  too  venturesome  to  assume  that  men  of  Welsh 
nationality  were  concerned  ini  all  this.  We  have  found 
proof  that  Garfield  came  from  Chester  (Caer).  He 
was  a  grand  factor,  and  a  worthy  ancestor  of  the  late 
martyr  President.  Is  it  surprising  that  New  England 
should  have  five  Chesters,  and  that  the  Postal  Guide 
of  the  United  States  should  have  in  all  over  thirty 
places  of  that  name? 

App.  F.    Certain  Evanses. 

There  are  certain  Evanses  which  we  feel  compelled 
to  notice  here.  Lately  we  saw  a  quarto  volume  of  great 
interest.  Charles  W.  Evans  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  took 
painis  to  collect  and  publish  the  "Family  History  of 
the  Evanses  and  Ellicotts"  (i.  e.,  Ellis  or  Elias).  These 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  405 

families  were  famous  in  milling  and  other  operations, 
botn  in  Maryland  and  in  -New  York  State.  Hon.  Da- 
vid E.  Evans,  in  1818,  represented  the  Western  Dis- 
trict of  the  Empire  State;  in  1824  he  was  Director  of 
Ontario  Bank  at  Canandaigua;  in  1826  he  represented 
the  29th  Congressional  District,  comprising  Gene-see 
County;  in  1829  he  was  Director  of  the  Bank  of  Gene- 
see  at  Batavia,  and  of  the  United  States  Bank  in 
Buffalo.  Under  his  administration  nearly  one  half  of 
all  the  lands  owned  by  the  Company  of  Western  New 
York  were  sold;  Mr.  Evans  being  agent  for  the  Hol- 
land Land  Company  from  1827  to  1837.  (History 
p.  237).  In  Buffalo  the  "Evans'  Ship  Canal"  enter- 
prise was  perfected  in  the  summer  of  1833.  His  sons 
were  agents  o>n  the  commercial  line  of  the  Erie  Canal 
from  1834  to  1852.  Mr.  Evans  was  sole  owner  of  the 
"New  Orleans"  steamboat,  and  part  owner  of  the 
"Wisconsin."  His  son,  E.  T.  Evans,  owned  the 
"Evans'  Line  of  Propellers,"  the  first  used  on  our 
lakes.  The  early  proprietor,  Lews  Evans,  was  born 
in  Wales.  The  lamented  Prof.  Evan  P.  Evans,  late  of 
Cornell  University,  \vas  a  native  of  Wales.  Graduat- 
ing at  Yale  in  1851,  he  became  a  teacher  there,  whence 
he  removed  to  teach  at  Marietta  College,  Ohio.  "  In 
1867  he  came  to  Cornell,  and  was  made  Dean  of  the 
Mathematical  College.  His  unfinished  "History  of 
Wales,"  whereon  he  bestowed  so  great  labor,  ought 
to  be  published,  for  the  value  of  the  matter  it  contains. 


406  Welshmen  as  Factors 

App.  G.     Our  Portrait  Gallery. 

The  faces  of  our  "representative  men"  will  be  ac- 
ceptable to  our  readers,  and  give  additional  interest 
to  our  book.  Of  each  one  of  these,  excepting  "Wil- 
liam Penn"  of  course,  we  would  be  glad  to  write  more 
than  our  limits  will  allow.  Most  of  these  stand  for 
much  that  is  not  noted  here.  Our  purpose  and  plan 
may  excuse,  if  it  fails  to  atone  for  the  meagre  notices 
fc-und  here.  Photos,  were  placed  at  ouir  disposal,  and 
of  them  we  have  made  such  use  as  we  thought  fit. 
By  the  courtesy  of  ouir  publisher  three  faces  of  the  de- 
parted are  secured.  These  represent  men  who  can- 
not be  forgotten.  Dr.  Davies,  Jr.,  gave  us  his  honored 
father's  portrait.  To  each  and  all  we  tender  hearty 
thanks.— The  Author— "William  Penn." 

Hon,  B.  Hughes,  Scranton,  Pa.,  was  born  and 
brought  up  in  Brynmawr,  Breconshire,  South  Wales. 
He  is  a  striking  example  of  the  self-made  men,  who 
are  so  great  an  honor  to  this  land.  His  early  advan- 
tages were  few,  but  his  application  was  untiring,  his 
mental  aptitude  and  good  sense  far  more  than  com- 
mon. Mr.  Hughes  arrived  in  America  in  1848,  set- 
tling first  at  Pottsville,  then  at  Scranton,  Pa.  In  1855 
he  became  foreman  of  the  Diamond  Mines  of  the  D. 
L.  &  W.  Co.,  and,  ten  years  later,  climbed  to  the  posi- 
tion he  still  holds  as  General  Inside  Superintendent. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  407 

The  Company  has  now  about  7,000  men  and  boys  in 
their  employ. 

Returning  from  his  European  trip  in  the  fall  of  1888 
an  address  of  welcome  was  made,  in  which  was  set 
forth  the  progress  he  had  made,  and  the  high  regard 
in  which  he  was  held.  Reference  was  had  to  "the 
friendly  relations  and  good  feelings  which  have  con- 
tinued between  the  Company  and  its  employees."  It 
was  stated  that  this  was  "largely  due  to  Mr.  Hughes' 
good  judgment  and  skillful  management."  The  min- 
ing population  of  this  city  "enjoy  a  higher  status  so- 
cially, financially  and  morally"  than  is  common  to  this 
class  of  citizens,  and  to  Mr.  Hughes  and  his  late  assist- 
ant, T.  W.  Davies,  and  Hon.  Gwilym  M.  Williams, 
with  some  others,  is  attributed  this  pre-eminence. 
This  place  has  been  called  the  Welsh  Athens.  Its 
Philosophical  Society,  its  fine  Public  Library,  and 
other  advantages  owe  much  to  Mr.  Hughes,  to  Hon. 
Judge  Edwards,  and  their  fellow-laborers  in  the  men- 
tal and  moral  elevation  of  the  working  classes.  Mr. 
Hughes  has  been  for  many  years  an  active  and  fore- 
most member,  officer  and  Sunday  School  worker  in 
the  Welsh  Baptist  Church.  For  eight  years  he  was 
acting  President  of  the  Order  of  "Gwir  Iforiaid."  He 
is  President  and  Director  of  the  flourishing  West  Side 
Bank;  also  President  of  the  Schuylkill  Anthracite 
Royalty  Company,  and  an  associate  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Mining  Engineers.  In  1892  he  was  chosen 


408  Welshmen  as  Factors 

as  Congressional  District  Delegate  to  the  Republican 
Convention  at  Minneapolis,  and  voted  for  President 
B.  Harrison's  renomlnation.  See  Dedication. 

The  portraits  of  the  adjudicators  of  this  essay  find 
a  fitting  place  here,  and  they  have  kindly  allowed  us 
to  adorn  our  volume  with  the  same. 

As  to  Rev.  W.  C.  Roberts,  D.  D.,  LL.D.,  the  Cym- 
rodorion  Society  were  fully  aware  of  his  ripe  scholar- 
ship and  his  Cymric  heart.  For  years  he  had  been 
identified  with  Lake  Forest  University,  and  proved  his 
tact  and  ability  in  the  management  of  that  institution. 
It  is  his  glory  and  crown.  The  trustees  were  pledged 
to  the  raising  of  one  million  dollars  within  five  years, 
that  was  the  condition  on  which  the  Doctor  consented 
to  assume  the  Presidency  in  1886.  Rarely  have  efforts 
made,  met  with  no  signal  success,  and  rarely  has  any 
one  man  made  so  great  a  scheme  fully  satisfy  both  pa- 
trons and  friends.  Of  Mr.  Roberts'  work  as  Secretary 
of  the  Presbyterian  Home  Missionary  Society  we  need 
not  write,  sufficient  is  it  to  know  that  the  qualities  of 
the  man  ensured  good  service.  The  Doctor  is  now 
President  of  Centre  College,  Boyle  County,  Kentucky, 
and  his  past  successes  are  ample  guarantee  for  the 
kind  of  work  he  will  accomplish  here.  This  seat  of 
higher  learning  dates  back  to  1819.  It  is  the  most 
venerable  institution  in  the  south-west,  and  from  it 
have  graduated  over  2,000  students.  These  became  a 
blessing  to  our  country  in  varied  and  valuable  services. 


MORGAN  B.  WILLIAMS. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  409 

Dr.  Roberts  was  born  in  South  Wales,  September, 
1832.  As  a  linguist  he  has  been  classed  with  Dr.  J. 
Rhys  of  Oxford  University  fame.  As  a  thoughtful 
theologican  and  conscientious  educator  he  has  been 
named  with  the  late  lamented  Dr.  Llewelyn  loan 
Evans  of  Lane  Seminary,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  He  is 
highly  esteemed  in  every  sphere  he  is  called  to  occupy. 

Hon.  T.  L.  James  had  made  for  himself  a  good  de- 
gree, and  the  Eisteddfod  Committee  were  doubtless 
persuaded  that  the  author  of  that  famous  article  on 
"The  Welsh  in  the  United  States,"  printed  in  the 
columns  of  "The  Cosmopolitan,"  was  qualified  to  ad- 
judicate compositions  dealing  with  such  a  theme. 

Mr.  James  is  a  "Cymro  o  waed  coch  cyfa."  His 
great-grandfather  and  grandfather  had  filled  the 
deaconal  office  in  the  Broadway  Church  in  Utica.  The 
General  is  known  as  an  Eisteddfod  man;  and  his 
speeches  and  presence  have  been  very  highly  esteemed. 
At  Wilkesbarre  some  years -ago  he  said:  "We  plead 
guilty  to  the  fact,  that  like  all  men  of  Celtic  blood,  we 
feel  an  affection  for  the  traditions,  customs,  birth- 
place and  language  of  our  ancestors." 

He  was  to  have  presided  at  the  Columbian  Eistedd- 
fod, on  the  third  day,  but  was  detained. 

As  President  of  the  Utica  Eisteddfod,  January  1896, 
Mr.  James  referred  to  "the  sturdy  Cambrians  of  his  na- 
tive County  of  Oneida,"  and  "the  gratifying  distinc- 
tion" of  presiding  here. 


410  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Too  well  known  are  the  important  and  varied  serv- 
ices of  this  Cambro-American,  both  civil,  political  and 
moral,  to  need  recital  here.  See  other  references  to 
this  noted  Welshman. 

Of  Eisteddfod  officers  we  give  the  portraits  of  four. 
The  thorough  and  thoughtful  Hon.  Samuel  Job  is  a 
Welsh  factor  of  acknowledged;  worth.  In  every  sphere 
he  proves  himself  a  man  of  power.  Here  we  have  to 
do  with  his  relation  to  the  Cymrodorio-n  Society,  of 
which  he  was  the  first  President,  and  acted  in  that 
capacity  during  1893.  He  took  a  leading  part  in  mat- 
ters of  the  World's  Fair  Eisteddfod.  One  of  the  Vice 
Presidents,  Gwilym  Eryri,  having  had  ample  oppor- 
tunity for  forming  a  just  estimate  of  his  good  services 
says :  "Haedda  glod  cenedlaethol  ac  edmygedd  goreu- 
on  y  genedl."  He  found  in  Mrs.  Job  a  true  "help- 
mate" for  this  work.  This  lady  co-operated  with  Mrs. 
D.  R.  Jones  and  other  "Cymrodoresau"  as  an  active 
spirit  in  committee  service. 

One  of  the  remarkable  characteristics  of  Mr.  Job 
is  his  varied  capacity  and  fitness.  He  was  born  in 
Beaufort,  Breconshire,  South  Wales,  and  came  to 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  the  spring  of  1871  to  superintend 
the  River  Side  Iron  Works.  Later  he  was  Manager 
of  Bethel  Relief  Association,  a  glory  of  this  Forest 
City  in  Ohio.  In  Pullman  City  as  Superintendent  of 
the  Iron  Works,  and  again  as  master  of  the  Post  Office 
his  business  qualities  were  attested.  Of  late  he  has 


SAMUEL  JOB. 


In  tlie  Development  of  the  Republic.  411 

held  office  in.  connection  with  Morgan  Park  Academy. 
Many  readers  of  this  book  will  be  glad  to  see  the 
genial  face  of  Prof.  W.  Apmadoc.  He  is  widely  known 
and  everywhere  well  received.  His  presence  is  an 
inspiration,  and  we  know  of  no  man  "in  labors  more 
abundant."  As  editor  of  "Columbia"  and  chief  Sec- 
retary of  the  great  Eisteddfod,  he  had  before  him  a 
task  fully  worthy  of  his  amazing  energy.  It  seems 
hardly  credible  that  any  one  brain  could  endure  so 
great  pressure  without  breaking  down  under  the 
weight  of  so  great  responsibility  and  service. 

W.  E.  Powell,  Esq.  (Gwilym  Eryri),  as  most  of  the 
great  Eisteddfod  officers,  did  much  excellent  work, 
and  with  no  pecuniar}'  pay.  It  is  his  nature  to  enter 
heart  and  soul  into  whatsoever  his  nands  find  to  do. 
This  gentleman  is  genial  and  brimful  of  genuine  Welsh 
humor.  The  products  of  his  pen  in  "Y  Drych"  or 
elsewhere  are  always  racy,  readable,  and  good.  If 
anything  has  displeased  the  people  east  of  the  great 
ilakes.  it  was  the  part  he  is  said  to  have  taken  in  the 
removal  of  Prof.  D.  Protheroe  to  Milwaukee.  But 
then  Mr.  Powell  is  a  \Yestern  man,  and  as  a  railroad 
official  he  loves  to  see  things  move.  He  is  the  General 
Immigration  Agent  of  the  C.  M.  &  St.  P.  R.  R.  He 
founded  the  flourishing  town  in  South  Dakota  named 
Powell.  This  famous  son  of  Gwalia  and  child  of  the 
muse  is  a  native  of  Beddgelert,  and  came  to  this  coun- 
try about  35  years  ago.  To  him  was  given  the  honor 


412  Welshmen  as  Factors 

of  presenting  to  the  World's  Fair  Eisteddfod  the 
President  of  the  opening-  session,  Hon.  Geo.  R.  Da- 
vies,  Director  General  of  the  Columbian  Exhibition. 

Rev.  T.  C.  Edwards,  D.  D.  (Cynonfardd)  has  cos- 
mopolitan fame.  Both  in  Gwalia  and1  America  he  *s 
highly  respected.  A  marked  token  of  the  esteem  in 
which  he  is  held  is  the  fact  that  over  and  over  the  Eis- 
teddfod committees  of  Wales  have  sought  his  services. 
We  know  that  the  Eisteddfods  here  are  ever  eager  to 
secure  his  presence  and  aid.  He  was  present  as  con- 
ductor and  adjudicator  in  the  Chicago  Eisteddfod  of 
1893.  Having  been  his  neighbor  for  several  years, 
the  author  knows  the  honor  in  which  Mr.  Edwards  is 
held  in  the  church  he  serves,  and  the  neighborhood 
where  he  resides.  The  old  country  coveted  his  gifts, 
and  the  Ebemezer  Church  at  Cardiff,  South  Wales, 
secured,  for  a  season,  his  ministerial  and  literary  serv- 
ice. But  the  Edwardsdale  people  could  not  do  with- 
out him,  and  so  induced  him  to  return.  As  Professor 
of  Elocution  he  has  quite  a  reputation.  He  stands 
foremost  in  the  councils  and  doings  of  his  own  deno- 
minationi.  Congregational  but  Catholic,  he  and  his 
flock  did  a  nice  thing-  in  passing  a  series  of  resolutions 
touching  the  death  of  the  Baptist  pastor,  the  late  Rev. 
Allen  J.  Morton,  and  forwarding  the  same  to  that 
church.  This  is  praiseworthy,  and  worthy  of  imita- 
tion. Dr.  Edwards  was  on  the  Republican  ticket  for 
State  Senator,  and  his  name  is  known  most  favorably 


THOMAS  C.  EDWARDS,  D.  D. 


Iii  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  413 

in  the  sphere  of  pure  politics.  A  man  of  so  decided  a 
character,  who  has  so  ably  rilled  every  position  to 
which  the  voice  of  Providence  has  summoned  him,  is 
no  mean  factor. 

The  Consular  Office  of  this  Government  has  been 
held  by  not  a  few  Welshmen.  Major  E.  R.  Jones  at 
Newrcastle-on-Tyne  and  Cardiff  served  17  years.  In 
1861-5  the  erudite  William  Dean  Howells  was  Con- 
sul in  Venice,  Italy.  Hon.  John  Jarrett  served  in  Bir- 
mingham, England.  Dr.  D.  C.  Davies  was  succeeded 
by  Dr.  G.  W.  Frees  at  Swansea,  and  Hon.  Anthony 
Howells  by  Rev.  D.  T.  Phillips  at  Cardiff,  Wales. 
Mr.  Howells  has  been  famous  in  other  service,  civil, 
political  and  moral.  In  "the  Western  Reserve,"  and 
throughout  the  Buckeye  State,  he  has  been  tried  and 
trusted.  His  head  is  clear,  his  heart  sound.  As  State 
Treasurer  and  as  Senator  his  praise  was  sung  aloud. 
In  his  business  relations  as  a  successful  coal  operator 
he  lias  a  record  untarnished  and  excellent. 

On  both  sides  of  the  Atlantic  Mr.  Howells  is  a  great 
favorite.  He  is  an  able  writer  in  both  Welsh  and  Eng- 
lish. His  friends  at  New  York  City  gave  him  a  ban- 
quet under  the  auspices  of  the  St.  David's  Society  at 
his  departure  for  Cardiff.  Aneurin  Fardd  read  some 
englynion,  and  the  veteran  William  Miles  sat  at  the 
right  side  of  the  President,  Hon.  E.  H.  Roberts.  When 
leaving  Cardiff  a  farewell  dinner  was  given,  when  the 
following  effusion  w-as  sung  by  the  famed  Dafydd 
Morganwg: 


414  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Tania  Awen  at  Anthony  Howell 
Deimladau  brawdgar,  hygar  a  digel ; 
Hi  gluda'n  awchus  ei  glod  yn  wchel, 
Ond  oera,  ffera,  wrth  roi'r  gair  ffarwel. 
Am  roi  ffafr  i'r  Cymro  ffel— mae  o  hyd, — 
Caniad  i'w  iechyd  rydd  cyn  y  dychwel. 

So  important  is  the  position  of  a  Mine  Inspector 
that  the  appointment  is  made  by  the  Governor  of  the 
State.  Mr.  J.  T.  Evans,  the  gentleman  whose  cut  is 
given,  has  been  appointed  again  and  again.  There  can 
be  no  stronger  evidence  of  his  fitness  and  of  the  con- 
fidence reposed  in  him.  He  is  a  native  of  Pittsburg, 
but  removed  with  his  parents  to  Johnstown  in  1854. 
His  worthy  father  was  a  consistent  member  of  the 
Welsh  Baptist  Church  here.  Familiar  with  the  mines 
from  his  boyhood,  Mr.  Evans  has  been  called  to  im- 
portant service.  In  1881  he  was  engaged  by  the  Cam- 
bria Iron  Company  to  make  explorations  in  the 
Adirondack  Mountains  for  iron  ore.*  Later  he  was 
Superintendent  of  Woodvale  Mines.  He  is  considered 
an  authority  on  matters  relating  to  coal,  especially  the 
Bituminous  measures.  He  is  serving  his  fourth  term 
as  Inspector,  and  has  successfully  passed  the  ordeal  of 
examinations  from  time  to  time.  The  law  of  1877  is 
quite  rigid,  but  Mr.  Evans'  average  stood  96  to  98^ 
per  cent.  In  1896  he  ran  for  nomination  as  County 
Treasurer,  but  in  the  commotion  of  the  political  whirl- 

*This  investigation  was  continued  for  several  months,  and,  finally, 
not  VC '  S  company  from  engaging  in  a  vast  investment  that  would 


JOHN  T.  EVANS. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  415 

pool  he  did  not  make  it.  Nevertheless,  he  tries  again, 
and  may  gain  the  election.  As  a  Christian  man  and  a 
gentleman,  Air.  Evans  is  an  honor  to  his  church,  and 
a  general  favorite  of  all.  Officially  he  serves  in  the 
"Sixth  Bituminous  Inspection  District"  of  the  great 
Keystone  State.  He  is  a  leading  man  in  Johnstown 
and  Cambria  County. 

The  example  we  give  of  Welshmen  in  Senatorship, 
is,  we  think,  well  chosen.  Hon.  Morgan  B.  Williams  is 
a  remarkable  instance  of  genius  mastering  difficulties. 
He  is  verily  a  man,  a  great  but  a  self-made  man.  His 
educational  advantages  were  not  ample;  his  early  en- 
vironments were  anything  but  favorable.  Honorable 
indeed  is  the  position  whereimto  he  has  attained,  for 
he  began  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder.  For  years  the  great 
coal  operator,  the  Bank  President,  the  useful  citizen, 
the  Council  man,  and  School  director,  and  then  the 
State  Senator — had  made  his  mark.  Last  of  all  he 
stood  a  candidate  for  his  district  as  Representative  in 
Congress,  and  was  elected  by  a  large  majority.  In 
the  House,  as  everywhere,  Mr.  Williams  wras  a 
worker.  He  could  not  be  a  drone,  nor  hold  a  sine- 
cure office.  When  in  Harrisburg  he  not  only  sup- 
ported the  measures  which  secured  to  workmen  a 
semi-monthly  pay,  but  insisted  that  the  law  be  en- 
forced. As  a  literary  man  and  a  promoter  of  Welsh 
institutions,  he  has  made  a  noble  record.  His  liberal 
guing  is  proverbial.  On  his  return  from  a  visit  to  his 


4i 6  U'clsluncn  as  Factors 

native  country  his  many  friends  made  him  a  supper 
in  September,  1895. 

"Ac  anadl  gwir  genedlgarol 
Gwres  A  wen  i'w  groesawi'n  ol." 

— M.  C.  Jones. 

The  Senator's  bow  abides  in  strength,  and  there 
will  be  future  service  secured  from  this  representative 
man. 

In  the  World's  Fair,  we  found  Hooi.  M.  B.  Williams, 
\\  ilkesbarre,  appointed  a  member  of  the  Pennsylvania 
"Board  of  Commissioners."  He  accompanied  the 
Governor  to  Chicago,  for  the  arrangement  of  the 
"Keystone"  Exhibit  there.  Mr.  Williams  was  more- 
over Chairman  of  the  "Committee  on  Mines  and  Min- 
ing;" few  men  were  as  well  fitted  for  such  a  post  as  he. 

Hon.  Daniel  Edwards,  Kingston,  Pa.,  has  been  a 
civil,  political  and  moral  factor  of  great  power  in  his 
day.  He  is  valued  as  a  member  of  the  Congregational 
Church.  He  is  known  far  and  wide,  and  his  influence 
has  been  growing  as  his  locks  are  being  silvered  witn 
age.  He  is  operating  extensive  collieries  at  Kingston 
and  Plymouth.  His  picture  has  been  sought  and 
secured  for  the  respect  in  which  we  have  held  him 
during  many  years,  and  for  the  reason  that  the  author 
knows  of  no  finer  example  of  success  in  business.  In 
Danville  and  here  he  has  been  famous  for  making 
whatever  he  undertakes  to  do  prosper.  So  shrewd  is 
his  judgment,  so  talismanic  his  touch,  that  capitalists 
have  eagerly  followed  him.  An  enterprise  to  which 


DANIEL  EDWARDS. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  417 

Mr.  Edwards  sets  his  hand  will  call  forth  the  invest- 
ment of  money  to  any  amount.  There  is  an  impres- 
sion abroad  in  commercial  circles,  that  no  scheme  en- 
dorsed by  him  can  prove  a  failure.  Failure  seems  a 
word  unknown  in  his  vocabulary ;  he  appears  never  to 
have  missed  any  mark  he  aimed  to  hit. 

A  man  of  affairs,  in  many  respects  he  is  a  shining 
light  and  guide  set  before  our  industrious  and  ambi- 
tious young  men.  He  has  a  generous  hand  and  a 
kindly  heart.  The  aid  he  has  bestowed  on  churches. 
his  gifts  to  the  poor,  and  much  more  that  we  might 
name,  have  made  for  him  an  abiding  and  honorable 
name.  Unlike  some  wealthy  Welshmen,  Mr.  Edwards 
has  held  by  his  Welsh  church,  and  sits  under  the  pro- 
fitable ministry  of  "Cynotifardd"  year  after  year. 

The  other  remarkable  "business  man"  whose  pic- 
ture we  present,  stands  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  line. 
Mr.  Joseph  Richards,  though  comparatively  young, 
had  made  a  reputation  for  industry  and  integrity,  for 
tact  and  talent,  ere  he  left  Summit  Hill,  Carbon  Coun- 
ty, Pa.  Prior  to  his  coming  to  Slatington  he  had  in- 
vested considerable  capital  in  the  slate  industry.  Bet- 
ter and  more  important  then  dollars  is  the  commercial 
tact  that  can  multiply  the  dollars.  "The  Carbon  Slate 
Co."  rejoices  in  a  happy  combination  of  leaders  who 
ensure  success.  We  refer  to  the  long  experience  of 
that  skillful  operator  in  slate,  Mr.  Ellis  Owens,  and  the 
ability  of  that  salesman  of  energy  and  push,  Mr.  R.  G. 


4i 8  Welshmen  as  Factors 

Pierce;  and  the  keen  and  quick  business  efficiency  of 
Mr.  Richards.  We  are  not  surprised  that  such  a  Corn- 
pan}-  have  gained  a  prodigious  growth  of  business. 
In  1897  they  employed  over  six  score  men,  and  ag- 
gregated over  $181,000  in  their  sales.  This  firm  is 
constantly  enlarging  its  business,  and  exports  im- 
mense quantities  of  roofing  slate  to  Great  Britain. 

Mr.  Richards  takes  a  prominent  part  in  the  church 
and  Sunday  School  he  attends.  His  son,  Josiah  W., 
is  Assistant  Surgeon,  acting  as  such  under  the  rank  of 
Lieutenant  in  the  United  States'  Army.  He  is  a 
worthy  son  of  his  parents. 

Hon.  John  Jarrett,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  is  deservedly 
held  in  high  esteem  both  by  capitalists  and  by  sons 
of  toil.  As  a  sort  of  daysman  he  placed  his  hand  on 
both  parties.  Now  that 

"There  is  a  poor  blind  Samson  in  our  land, 

Shorn  of  his  strength  and  bound  with  bands  of  steel, 
Who  may  in  some  grim  revel  raise  his  hand 

And  shake  the  pillars  of  our  commonweal," 
such  a  factor  as  Mr.  Jarrett  is  of  incalculable  worth. 
It  is  as  a  representative  man  of  this  class  that  we  place 
him  in  our  gallery.  As  Consul  and  statesman  his  serv- 
ices have  been  appreciated.  He  has  great  fitness  for 
the  office  of  Secretary  of  the  American  Tinned  Plate 
Association,  for  which  he  receives  a  salary  of  $5,000  a 
year.  Nevertheless,  it  is  well  that  he  has  served  as 
"Chief  of  the  Workingmen's  Union,"  and  was  chosen 
President  and  Trustee  of  the  Amalgamated  Associa- 
tion of  Workingmen.  In  the  elaborate  volume  on 
'The  Labor  Movements"  (1887,  Chapter  XI),  Mr. 
Jarrett  relates,  with  thrilling  interest,  "The  story  of 
the  iron  workers,"  and  evinces  his  living  sympathy 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  419 

with  them.  On  his  return  from  England,  in  1892,  the 
PittsbiiTg  St.  David's  Society  gave  him  a  hearty  wel- 
come home.  The  speeches  of  Dr.  Edwards  and  Dr. 
Davies  were  eulogistic,  but  no  eulogy  of  this  man 
could  become  extravagant. 

The  editor  of  the  "Missionary  Review  of  the  World'' 
well  says  of  Dr.  B.  W.  Chidlaw,  "This  remarkable 
Welshman  was  ordained  at  twenty-five,  and  a  year 
later  entered  on  the  long  period  of  service  as  mission- 
ary of  the  American  Sunday  School  Union,  whose 
representative  he  was  at  the  Robert  Raikes  centennary 
in  1880.  He  has  literally  founded  thousands  of  Sun- 
day Schools,  in  remote  districts,  and  given  the  first  im- 
pulse to  new  churches."  We  have  more  than  once 
called  up  notices  of  the  good  services  of  this  good 
man.  All  who  know  his  history  know  what  "a  sin- 
gular example  of  usefulness"  was  this  man  of  Gwyn- 
cdd.  All  must  rejoice  in  the  fact  that  this  useful  life 
was  continued  so  long.  Dr.  Chidlaw  was  a  great 
friend,  not  only  of  Sabbath  School  instruction,  but 
also  of  higher  learning;  he  was  a  director  and  patron 
of  the  Miami  University,  from  which  he  graduated 
60  years  ago. 

We  refrain  from  more  extended  notice  of  this  great 
factor,  and  refer  the  reader  to  a  very  interesting 
"Auto-biography  of  B.  W.  Chidlaw,  D.  D.,"  recently 
published  by  T.  J.  Griffiths,  Utica,  N.  Y.  We  make  a 
few  extracts  therefrom,  touching  Mr.  Chidlaw's 
"Camp  life.'  As  he  could  not  keep  out  of  the  war  so 
he  had  to  carry  into  "camp"  his  great  life  work. 
Writing  in  September,  1861,  he  said,  "I  have  met  over 
thirty  regiments  since  last  June,  and  I  am  confident 


420  Welshmen  as  Factors 

that  the  religious  and  moral  element  in  each  is  such  as 
to  secure  the  establish ment  and  maintenance  of  a 
vigorous  and  useful  Sunday  School." — Memoir  p.  30. 
Another  said  of  him,  'The  soldiers  bless  him  wherever 
he  goes."  In  "camp"  he  originated  a  plan  for  "broth- 
erhood," yet  "leaving  church  relations  undisturbed." 
The  Doctor  placed  in  his  regiment  a  good  library  of 
full  300  volumes. 

July,  1892,  the  mortal  remains  of  the  great  Rev.  LI. 
loan  Evans,  D.  D.,  LL.D.,  were  brought  from  Wales 
to  Cincinnati,  O.,  and  interred  in  Spring  Grove  Ceme- 
tery. At  his  departure  for  Bala  College  there  was 
deep  sorrow;  at  his  funeral  was  "great  lamentation." 
He  was  a  mighty  man,  and1  a  loyal  lover  of  God's 
word.  His  strong  mind  was  in  profoundest  sympathy 
with  "the  word  of  truth."  "The  New  York  Evangel- 
ist" printed  his  able  paper  on  "Biblical  Scholarship 
and  Inspiration."  In  it  are  found  certain  statements 
which  the  less  thoughtful  and  uninformed  might  hesi- 
tate to  accept,  but  the  good  Doctor  was  profoundly 
impressed  with  the  veracity  of  the  revealed  word. 

We  present  him  as  a  representative  man  in  his 
chosen  sphere — an  educator  of  surpassing  forceful- 
ness,  and  a  teacher  eminently  true  to  his  "high  call- 
ing." He  was  honest  and  conscientious  in  all  he  said 
and  did,  and  had  the  happy  faculty  of  convincing  men 
that  he  was  right  as  well  as  sincere.* 

Another  representative  man,  as  an  educator,  is  the 
Rev.  John  Howard  Harris,  D.  D.,  LL.D.  He  was 

*Mav  we  here  express  the  delight  with  which  we  read  his  adjudica- 
?0J?A?  four  Essay  on  "The  Future  of  Republics,"  at  the  Scranton  Eis- 
teddfod. The  prize  was  divided  between  Mr.  D.  O.  John,  Wilkesbarre, 
f^w^  Van(kDr-  Evans  Save  clearly  the  Reasons  Why.  This  Essay  was 
in  WTelsh.— Dyfodol  Gweriniaeth. 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  421 

called  from  the  Presidency  of  Keystone  Academy  to 
that  of  Bucknell  University,  formerly  Lewisburg 
University,  about  ten  years  ago.  He  had  already  es- 
tablished his  reputation  in  tne  institution  founded  and 
fostered  by  him.  The  future  of  that  seminary  was 
made  secure  by  his  zeal,  his  ability,  his  energy.  The 
future  of  the  University,  if  we  may  judge  from  the  first 
decade  of  the  Harris  administration,  will  be  not  only 
secure  but  sublime.  In  these  years  the  number  of 
students  have  increased  about  three  fold,  and  this  as- 
tonishing increase  is  manifest  in  every  department  of 
Bucknell  College.  His  Alma  Mater  will  grow  in- 
creasingly proud  of  the  services  she  is  destined  to  re- 
ceive at  the  hand  of  this  distinguished  son.  We  might 
quote  pages  of  high  commendation  from  various 
sources,  but  we  forbear,  and  simply  assure  our  read- 
ers that  all  who  know  Doctor  Harris  and  his  great 
achievements  esteem  him  very  highly  in  love  "for  his 
work's  sake."  He  lives  for  the  institution,  and  is  en- 
throned in  the  heart  of  her  faculty,  her  students,  and 
her  patrons. 

The  father  of  this  great  factor  in  higher  learning 
was  named  Rees  Harris,  and  came  to  this  country 
nearly  seventy  years  ago.  Here  is  a  Cambro-Ameri- 
can,  whom  both  Cambrians  and  Americans  delight  to 
honor. 

Desiring  a  Press  Representative,  we  decided  on  the 
late  Benjamin  F.  Lewis,  a  native  of  Llanidloes,  North 
Wales.  He  came  hither  in  1847,  an'd  learned  the  prin- 
ter's trade  in  New  York  City.  In  1859  he  came  to 
Utica,  and  from  being  foreman  of  the  printers  in  the 
"Herald"  office  was  engaged  on  the  "making  up"  of 
that  great  daily  for  over  thirty  years.  In  1893  he  was 


422  Welshmen  as  Factors 

engaged  on  the  editorial  staff  of  "The  Cambrian"  and 
"Y  Drych."  Mr.  Lewis  was  a  noble  and  able  man.  He 
wielded  a  facile  pen,  and  caught  readily  the  spirit  of 
the  hour.  His  soul  beat  in  quick  sympathy  with  every 
great  question  of  the  day.  He  had  a  clear  head,  and 
his  moral  tone  was  high.  One  of  his  valued  treasures 
was  a  copy  of  Abel  Morgan's  "Mynegair  Ysgrythyr- 
ol,"  to  which  we  have  referred.  Mr.  Lewis  was  a  de- 
voted Sunday  School  man,  and  his  fine  l>ible  class 
placed  a  floral  tribute  on  or  near  his-  casket.  The 
Cymreigyd'dion  Society  showed  their  respect  for  the 
deceased  by  a  floral  harp,  and  the  Ivorite  Society 
presented  a  floral  pillow.  They  were  represented  by 
about  four  score  "Gwir  Iforiaid."  The  M.  E.  Church 
sent  a  floral  representation  of  "Gates  Ajar."  Mr. 
Lewis  was  a  member  of  "The  Oneida  Historical  So- 
ciety." 

"The  Utica  Herald"  wrote  of  him:  "The  latter  part 
of  the  month  of  May  Mr.  Lewis  will  succeed  G.  H. 
Humphrey  as  editor  of  'Y  Drych,'  having  as  an  asso- 
ciate John  C.  Roberts,  who  has  been  on  the  paper 
twenty-three  years.  Mr.  Lewis  contributed  for  the 
first  number  of  'Y  Drych'  in  1851,  and  set  type  on  the 
paper  for  several  months  during  the  first  year  of  its 
publication.  That  he  will  ably  fill  the  position  to 
which  he  has  been  called,  no  one  who  knows  him  can 
doubt.  Mr.  Humphrey  retires  from  'Y  Drych'  to  en- 
gage in  the  practice  of  law." 

His  associates  at  the  office  gave  Mr.  Lewis  an  ele- 
gant gold  watch,  a  copy  of  Chamber's  Encyclopaedia, 
and  a  silver  inkstand  in  token  of  their  esteem  for  him, 

As  a  factor  in  the  Legal  Profession  we  present  a  por- 
trait of  Hon.  H.  M.  Edwards,  Scranton,  Pa.  Judge 


/;/  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  423 

Edwards  is  no  common  man,  and  of  him  we  have 
notices  elsewhere.  Mr.  Edwards  served  two  terms  as 
District  Attorney,  ere  he  arrived  to  the  dignity  of 
District  Judge.  His  famous  legal  decisions  on  the 
reading  of  Scriptures  in  public  schools  has  elicited 
marked  commendation.  It  will  go  down  to  posterity 
as  a  proof  of  the  mental  logic,  the  professional  skill, 
and  the  sound  logic  of  this  Welsh  jurist.  The  whole 
case  is  published  in  a  valuable  pamphlet.  "The  Ex- 
aminer," New  York,  took  notice  of  this  opinion,  which 
affirms  that  "The  reading  of  the  Bible  in  the  public 
schools  may  be  allowed,  and  even  commended  from  a 
standpoint  which  does  not  involve  the  question  of 
sectarian  instruction,  nor  the  rights  of  conscience." 
The  Judge  claimed  that  as  the  Constitution  of  Penn- 
sylvania is  silent  on  the  subject  it  should  be  left  to  the 
discretion  of  the  School  Board. 

Among  Welsh  people  everywhere  Mr.  Edwards  is. 
a  great  favorite,  and  in  1895  on  his  return  from  Wales, 
Cymry  of  his  own  city  tendered  him  a  worthy  recep- 
tion. The  famed  Judge  Noah  Davis  is  now  ex-Judge, 
and  evening  shadows  grow  apace.  Judge  Edwards  is 
as  yet  in  the  meridian  of  life — progressive  and  ambi- 
tious. No  higher  honor  could  be  his  than  to  enjoy  a 
career  as  brilliant  and  useful  as  that  of  the  distin- 
guished and  revered  jurist  of  the  Empire  State. 

Inasmuch  as 

•'A  wise  physician  skill'cl  our  wounds  to  heal, 
Is  more  than  armies  to  the  common  weal." 

wt-  place  in  our  gallery  a  representative  of  the  Medical 
Profession,  the  late  Rees  Davies,  M.  D.,  of  Wilkes- 
barre.  Pa.  Of  his  calling  he  was  a  distinguished  or- 
nament, and  held  in  high  esteem.  He  was  as  unas- 


424  Welshmen  as  Factors 

su'ming  as  he  was  proficient.  Having  studied  in 
Marietta  College,  Ohio,  and  Hamilton  College,  N. 
Y.,  he  entered  the  medical  department  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Michigan.  He  afterwards  went  to  Bellevue 
Hospital  Medical  College  in  the  Empire  City.  When 
he  settled  in  Wilkesbairre  his  fame  grew  apace,  for  the 
people  and  the  profession  found  that  a  man  of  supe- 
rior worth  was  among  them.  In  critical  surgery  cases 
andi  the  treatment  of  intricate  types  of  disease  this 
eminent  physician  was  in  constant  demand.  His  suc- 
cess elicited1  "the  favorable  recognition  of  scholarly 
men  of  his  profession  all  over  the  country."  In  1876 
he  was  elected  honorary  member  of  "The  Philadelphia 
Obstetrical  Society."  He  was  President  of  "The  Penn- 
sylvania State  Medical  Society"  and  of  "The  Ameri- 
can Medical  Association."  His  contributed  articles 
on  various  subjects  will  perpetuate  his  fame  for  ages 
yet  to  come.  He  died  wmen  but  58  years  of  age.  His 
son,  W.  Davies,  M.  D.,  is  now  living  at  the  illustrious 
father's  home,  and  following  the  same  "high  calling." 


INDRX. 


Adams,  C.  P.,  285 
Adams,  Henry,  16 
Adams,  John,  98,  108,  185 
Adams,  John  Q.,  217 
Ancestry,  Pride  of,  25 
Ancestral  Government,   159 
Amendment,  The  First,  177 
Apmadoc,  W.,  362,  394,  411 
Appointments  in   Pennsyl- 
vania. 345 

Baptists  of  Note,  353 
Baltimore,  Lord,  99 
Beecher,  Dr.  Lyman,  386 
Beecher,  Henry  Ward,  38,  288 
Beulah,  Pa. ,  201 
Bevan,  Barbara,  44 
Bevan,  Dr.  Isaac,  308 
Bevans,  Rev.  L.,  242 
Blackwell,  H.,  23 
Bowen,  R  .  199 
Bradford,  Pa.,  236 
Brown  University,  31 

Cadwaladers,  The,  44 
Cadwalader,  Gen.  John,  151 
Caernarvon,  Pa.,  53 
Cambria  Co.,  Pa.,  180,  201 
Carbondale,  Pa.,  224 
Carlyle,  8,  39 
Catasauqua,   Pa.,  229 
Chaplain  Jones,  137,  141,  210 
Charter  of  Liberties,  105 
CHICAGO,  388 

Chidlaw,  Dr.,  239,  254,  313 
Chivers,  Dr.  E.  E.,  393 
Civil  War,  248-277 
CINCINNATI,  380 
Coal  Industry,  197,  335-338 


College  Presidents,  315 
Congregationalists  of  Note,  351 
Congressmen,  187,203,232,  250 
Congress,  Fifty-Third.  357 
Cuyler,  Rev.  Dr.,  372 
Cymry,  The,  158 

Davis,  Col.  Roberts.  222 
David,  Rev.  R.  T.,  214 
Davies,  Hon.  Elias,  347 
Davies,  Hon.  Geo.  R.,  396 
Davies,  Hon.  H.  W.,  252 
Davies,  Hon.  T.  T.,  279 
Davies,  James,  295 
Davies,  Dr.  John,  384 
Davies,  Gen.  John,  207 
Davies,  "Honest  John,"  220 
Davies,  Dr.  N.  S.,  389 
Davies,  Dr  Rees,  423 
Declaration  of  Indep.,  171 
Delaware  Springs,  O. ,  202 
Dundaff,  Pa.,  237 

Eaton,  Dr.  G.  W.,  316 
Eaton,  Rev.  Isaac,  73 
Ebensburg.  Pa.,  181 
Editors  of  Welsh  Name.  324-7 
Educators  of  Note,  358 
Edwards,  Rev.  B.  B.,  241 
Edwards,  E.  B.,  376 
Edwards,  Dr.  Jonathan,  37 
Edwards,  Rev.  Justin,  20,  215 
Edwards,  Judge  H.  M  ,  422 
Edwards,  Rev.  Morgan,  189 
Edwards,  Prof.  O.  M.,  12 
Edwards,  P.,  138 
Edwards,  William,  193 
Egle,  Dr.,  on  the  Welsh,  48 
Ellis,  General,  221 


426 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


"Emigrant.  Church,"  77 
Eminent  Episcopalians,  349 
Eminent  M.  E.  Men,  349 
Erie  Co.,  Pa.,  179 
Essay  Adjudication,  3 
Evans,  C.  W.,  404 
Evans.  Edward,  224 
Evans,  Prof.  E.  P.,  405 
Evans,  Dr.  Fred.,  378 
Evans,  Hon.  George.  232 
Evans,  Lewis,  199 
Evans,  Col..  John,  153 
Evans,  Rev.  James,  231 
Evans,  Dr.  LI.  loan,  307,  387 
Evans,  Nathan,  54 
Evans,  Oliver,  60, 185,  191,  198 
Evans,  Rev.  W.  R.,  3 
Everett,  Rev.  Dr.,  307 

"Father  Thomas,"    Hilltown, 

Pa.,  75 
"Father    Thomas,"     Catas- 

auqua,  Pa.,  228 
Farmers,  Welsh,  233. 
Foulke,  Capt.  C.,  47 

Gale  College,  315 
Gar  field,  Edward,  16,  404 
Garfield,  Abram,  138 
Garfield,  Pres.,  319 
Gas  for  S.  Boston,  224 
Governors  and  Others,  347 
Granville  College,  201 
Great  Valley  Church,  Pa.,  78 
Griff Mis,  Hon.  S.,  116 
Griffiths,  Rev.  A.,  213 
Griffiths,  Rev.  J.  T.,  75 
Griffiths,  Rev.  Dr.,  377 
Gwilym  Eryri,  81,  411 
Gwynedd,  43 

Harris,  B.,  34 
Harris,  Rev.  J.  P.,  5 
Harris,  Dr.  S.,  310 
Harris,  Dr.  J.  H.,  420 


Harris,  Rev.  J.  P.,  5 
Harris,  Samuel,  83 
Harrison,  Pres.  B. ,  319,  355 
Harrison,  G.  H.,  218 
Harvard  College,  17 
Hopewell  Academy,  73 
Hopkins,  Step.,  16,  26 
Hopkins.  Prof.  A.,  241 
Howell.  Judge,  31 
Howells,  Hon.  A.,  293 
Howells,  W.  Dean,  370,  386 
Hughes,  Ezek,  381 
Hughes,  Hugh  J.,  12 
Humphreys,  Col.  D.,  153.  207 
Humphreys,  Col  Jacob,  221 
Humphreys,  Dr.  H.,  240 
Humphreys,  Hon.  Miles  S.  ,346 

Indians,  Welsh  help    230-232 
Importance      of      Formative 

Stage,  167 

lorthryn  Gwynedd,  13 
Iron  Industry,  Earlier,  51-56 
Iron  Industry,  Later,  338-342 

James,  Professor,  317 

James,  Dr.  Owen,  317 

James,  Hon.  T.  L.  376,  369,  409 

James,  W.  T.,  195 

Jarrett,  Hon.  John.  51,  418 

Jenkins'  Letters,  159 

Jenkins,  John,  Wyoming,    57, 

154- 

enkins,  Rev.  N.,  79 
ohnson,  Ben,  10 
ohnstown,  343,  414 
ones,  Doct.  Alex.  368 
ones,  Doct.  David,  53 

Jones,  Doct.  John,  140;  368 

Jones,  Chaplain,  137,  210 

Jones,  Col.  E.  F.,  255 

Jones,  Elder,  240 

Jones,  Gen.  G.  W. ,  219 

Jones,  Hon.  Hor.  Gates,  32,377 

Jones,  Jacob,  209 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  427 


Jones,  Jacob,  Pottsville,    Pa., 

342 

Jones,  Hon.  Pomeroy,  182 
Jones,  Rev.  Erasmus  W. ,  363 
Jones,  Rev.  Morgan,  23 
Jones,  N.,  195 
Jones,  Rev.  F.  W.,  181 
Jones,  Rev.  Dr.  S.,  65,  87 
Jones,  Rev.  Dr.  T.  W.,   181 
Jones,  T.  ap  Gatesby,  209 
Jones,  Thomas  B.,  221 
Jones,  W.  S.,  225 
Jouralism,  The  Welsh  in.  321- 

327 
Judson  University,   314 

Lane  Seminary,  386 
Legal  Profession,  66,  327 
Lee,  Arthur,  199 
Lee,  Maj.  Gen,  Charles,  148 
Lee,  "Harry,"  149,  160 
Levick,  Dr.  J.  J.,  44,  140 
Lewis,  Col.  A.,  156 
Lewis.  Francis,  166 
Lewis,  George,  193 
Lewis,  T.  C.,  200 
Lewis,  T.  E.,  391 
Liberty  of  Conscience,  21,  93, 

178 

Lloyd,  David,  62,  64 
Lloyd,  Rev.  Rees,  381 
Lloyd,  Senator,  210 
"Louisiana  Purchase,"  117 
Luzerne  Co.  Volunteers,  263 

Map,  Evans',  199 
Mathias,  Rev.  Jos.,  214 
Meredith,  Rev.  Lewis.  393 
Miles,  Rev.  John,  19 
Miles,  Rev.  R.,  76 
Miles,  Gen.  N.  A.,  20 
Miles,  Col.  Samuel,  146 
Milwaukee,  364 
Minersville,  Pa.,  292 
Missouri  Comprom.,  249 
Moody,  Kev.  Josh.,  22 


Moral  Factors,  again,  261 
Morgan,  Hon.  E.,  252 
Morgan,  Capt  Jacob,  46 
Morgan,  Col.  Jacob,  153 
Morgan,  Col.  Lewis,  142 
Morgan,  Dr.  John,  59 
Morgan,  T.  Rochester,  223 
Morgan,  T.  R.,  Ohio.  295 
Morgan,  William,  Pa.,  221 
Morris,  Col.  L.,  50 
Morris,  Governor,  52 
Morris,  Lieut,.  276 
Morris,  Robert,  129,  165 

Names,  Welsh,  n,  49,  397 

Nation's  Sorrow,  The,  320 

Newport,  R.  I.,  26 

New  England,  Welsh  in,  19 

"New  Wales,"  41 

NEW  YORK  CITY,  366 

Olyphant,  Pa.,  894 
Oneida,  N.  Y.,  182-188 
Owen,  Rev.  Goronwy.  &o,  391 
Owens,  Isaac,  240 

Paper,  Invented,  222 
Parry,  Judge  E.  O.,  233 
Patent  Records,  195,  223,    294 
Penn,  William,  51,  103-107 
Pennsylv.  Volunteers,  263 
Petersburg  Mine,  261 
Peters,  Rev.  H.,  17 
Peters,  Richard,  67,  196 
PHILADELPHIA,  62,  374 
Phillips,  Wendell,  249 
Phillips,  Rev.   D.  T.,  394 
Phillips,  F.  R  ,  378 
Pierce,  J.  F.,  308 
Pottsville,  Pa.,  233 
Powder  Mills,  142 
Powell,  Judge,  21,  328,  400 
Powell,  James  C.,  326 
Powell,  John,  Pa.,  79 
Powell,  William,  Pa.,  293 


428 


Welshmen  as  Factors 


Price,  Rev.  John,  49 
Price,  Rev.  T.  J.,  312 
Price,  Hon.  W.  T.,  300-303 
Price,  Richard,  162 

Quaker  City  and  the  Welsh,  58 

Radnor,  O  ,  201 
Rees,  Doctor  J.  S.,  309 
Rees,  Rev.  G.  Evans,  378 
Rees,  Rev.  J.  M.,  239 
Rees,  Serj.  Henry,  262 
Rees,  R.  W.,  341 
Rees,  Thos.,  179 
Reynolds,  Major  W.,  298 
Rhys,  Rev.  Morg.  J.,  181 
Richards,  Dr.  E.  J.,  308 
Richards,  Dr.  W.  Lynn,  32 
Roberts.  G.  B.,  pedigree,  45 
Roberts,  G.  B.,  Pres.  of  P.  R. 

R,,  376 

Roberts,  Col.  W.  L.,  222 
Roberts,  David  R.,  336 
Roberts,  John,   195 
Roberts,  Richard.  331 
Roberts,    Rev.  Dr.    W.  C.,  3, 

350,  408 

Roberts,  Rev.  Dr.  W.  H.,  378 
Rodericks,  The,  337 
Rowlands,    Rev.  H.  O.,    120, 

39i 

Rowlands,  William,  194 
Rowlands.  Dr.  A.  J.,  377,  387 
Rowlands,  Rev.  Dr.  W.,  372 
Ruskin  on  Wales,  401 

Schuylkill  Co.,  Pa.,  261 
Scranton,  Pa.,  325 
Shelby,  Gen.  Isaac,  206 
Signatures  of  Signers,  123 
Slate  Industry,  328,  417 
Slavery,  Profits  of,  249 
Stoves,  Oliver  Evans',  198 
St.  ciair,  Pa.,  293 


Thomas,  D.  Catasauqua,  227 
Thomas,  Gabriel,  51 
Thomas,  Colonel,  147 
Thomas,  Colonel  S..  256 
Thomas,  Rev.  David,  178 
Thomas,  Rev.  Dr.,  35 
Thomas,  The  Brothers,  213 
Thomas,  Rev.  Benj.,    D.  D., 

312 

Tin  Industry,  332 
Trevor,  John  D.,  315 

Upper  Lehigh,  Pa.,  239 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  182 
Utica  and  Steuben,  202 
Utica  Eisteddfod,  256 

Valley  Forge,  52 
Vaughan  and  Moody,  41 
Vaughan,  Thomas,  19 

"Wales,  A  Little,"  201 
War,  Revolutionary,  134-156 
War  of  1812,  205-212 
War,  Civil,  248-286 
Watkins,  Rev.  B.,  215 
Welsh  Factors  in  Cities,    366- 

396. 

Welsh  Hills,  Ohio,  200 
Welsh  Ingenuity,  24,  339,  341 
Welsh  Land  Owners,    40,  48, 

1 80,  236,  363 

Welsh  Ministry  here,  361 
Welsh  Tract,  41,  85 
Welshmen  in  Places  of  Trust, 

333-344 

Williams'  College,  34 
Williams,  Col.  S  ,  138 
Williams,  Edward,  27 
Williams,  Gen.  O.  H..  157 
Williams  H.,  Pa.,  329 
Williams,  Hon.  Lewis,  217 


In  the  Development  of  the  Republic.  429 


Williams, 
Williams, 
Williams, 
Williams, 
Williams, 
Williams, 
Williams, 
Williams, 
Williams, 


Hon.  D.  R.,  84 
Hon.  H.  W,.  235 
Hon.  M.  B.,  414 
Rev.  John,  31 
Dr.  W.  R.,  98,  571 
Roger.  1 8,  90-102 
Rev.  J.  L  ,  382 
Rev.  William,   17 
Dr.  Samuel,  27 


World's  Fair  Eisteddfod,  394- 

396 

Wyoming,  Pa.,  Settlers,    57 
Wyoming,  Pa.,  Soldiers,  155, 

167 

Yale,  Elihu  of  Wales,  29 
Yale  College,   30 


THE    END. 


MAR  0 


^    m 

THE  LIBRARY 
EKSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


